Ruby I: Initiate
by Silver as the Rain
Summary: It's my very first day as a Pokémon trainer, and I'm totally psyched! I'm going to be the best of the best and along for the ride will be my trusty Pokémon. First things first, I have to choose a starter companion, but the thing is, when I met him for the first time he totally hated me and refused to do anything I asked. My dreams are fast becoming a nightmare...
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys, so it's been a while since I've uploaded anything new, so I figured I owed you all and this is the result! Ta dah! My very first Pokémon story! I hope you guys like it, leave a review for me so I know what you guys want and if you like it, just please, if you leave any criticism, be as nice as possible and no rudeness, you don't like it, then don't read it. Simple! Anyway, enjoy!**

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With a yawn I awoke gradually, blinking dreamily in the gentle morning sunlight as I felt something tickle my face, cooing softly and I gave a sleepy sigh. "Go away Pidgey, it's too early to get up." I murmured with another yawn, stretching out to click my back and turn over in my nice, warm, comfortable bed.

Pidgey gave another squawk then fluttered its little wings as I tried to go back to sleep, however I felt the bird Pokémon's talons softly grip onto my leg as it settled. I was just about asleep again when a hard beak jabbed down into my rear and with a loud yelp, I leaped up with waving arms. "Agh! I'm awake, I'm awake!" Pidgey gave a chorus of chirping laughter, fluttering about my room as I picked myself up off the floor. "What's the wakeup call for?" I demanded haughtily as I rubbed my head, hair strewn all over the place. Then I looked at my calendar. "Wait a minute…"

Today was circled in red, proclaiming proudly and suddenly, it all clicked into place. "I'm getting my first Pokémon today." I blinked before it all suddenly came crashing down on me. "I'm getting my first Pokémon _today_!" I trumpeted with glee, leaping up and began to dance around my room as Pidgey fluttered around with me, chirping warmly. "I get to be a trainer! I can go and catch all the Pokémon there are and be the best of the best!"

Rushing to my wardrobe I flung it open then pulled out a pair of three quarter length denim shorts, a light blue shirt and then my black and white sneakers. Turning around to face the mirror I grabbed my brush and hastily yanked my hair into place, the dark mahogany tresses playing stubborn this morning. "Come on! I need to go get my first Pokémon from Professor Oak!" I groaned, pouting at my reflection.

Finally I managed to sweep the top half of my hair back, leaving my large green eyes to be exposed and I sighed with relief. At least now I look presentable. Looking at my clock I still had an hour before I needed to leave, but I was too excited to wait around now. "Thanks for waking me up Pidgey, you're the greatest!" I grinned at our pet Pokémon, who chirped proudly as it rested on the wooden head of my bed.

Reaching out I stroked its soft feathers and it rubbed into my hand, spreading its wings slightly. My parents have had this Pokémon for as long as I can remember. I think I was about four when dad came home carrying this poor, injured Pokémon into our house during a thunderstorm and we had done all we could to make it better and ensuring it lived through the night before taking it to the Pokémon centre the moment the storm had cleared up.

Pidgey hadn't left our side since. It was the perfect companion, watching over me as I grew and kept me from getting into too much trouble. I had a tendency to wander off as a kid and I remember one time I had gone into some tall grass in search of Pokémon when a Spearow attacked me, pecking at my small body as I cried.

My parents having sent Pidgey to look for me, our Pokémon had dived in from above and tackled it to the ground, knocking it out in one strike. I remember being so happy to see Pidgey that day that I had not let it go for a long time after that, cuddling its warm, feathery body until it pecked my head to make me let go, but still remained close and even perched at the end of my bed as I slept.

Shaking my head I smiled at Pidgey. "I'm going out to become a Pokémon master now, I'll train real hard and earn loads of badges from the gyms before going for the Pokémon league! What do you think, Pidgey? Think I could do it?" In answer Pidgey gave a soft cry of its name, closing its eyes and spreading its wings before nipping at my shirt and tugging, gently rubbing its head into me. "Haha! I knew you would agree." I grinned, stroking its head one last time before running to my door. "I'll see you later mom, bye dad!"

"Now wait just one minute young lady." My mom was suddenly standing in front of me, plump and hands situated firmly on her hips as she stood in front of the door. "You haven't even had breakfast or brushed your teeth. You can't go to Professor Oak until you have had something decent to eat." I groaned.

"But I need to get my Pokémon before the other trainers take them all! Now that I'm ten, I can get my license, my Pokémon then head out to start my journey to becoming the greatest trainer in the world!" Clasping my hands together I pleaded with my mom to let me go. "Please can I just go right now?"

"Not until you have had something to eat." She reiterated then spun me around, sternly pushing me towards the breakfast table. "Now eat up. I made pancakes." But I didn't want pancakes, I was far too nervous to eat anything.

Dad let his newspaper drop so that he peered over the top, his glasses glinting in the morning sunlight. He winked at me as I picked at my pancake, feeling impatient and jittery. "Oh let her run along, my dear." Dad said to mom as she hummed a song at the stove. "She's far too excited to eat a thing. The sooner she has her license and Pokémon, the sooner she can come back home and eat a proper breakfast." Mom paused, thinking about it and I instantly leaped up.

"Yes! I can't eat a thing. I feel all nervous and excited to even look at food!" To prove my point I pushed the plate away and turned my head, making a face as I did so. Pidgey flapped its wings and called out as if in agreement, sitting on the perch we had made for it a long time ago.

Mom sighed then nodded her head with a smile. "Alright, but you hurry right back! You understand? I'll have some things ready for you to take with you on your journey."

"Yes!" Leaping up into the air with a fist, I lunged over to dad, kissed his cheek then practically flew out the door faster than a Dewgong in the water. "By mom! Bye dad! See you real soon!" I ran all the way there, my heart pounding faster than my feet as they hammered against the ground.

Slowly Professor Oak's research facility came into view and I only ran faster, seeing two other trainers already there and speaking to him. "Wait! Don't forget me! I'm coming!" I yelled, rushing with laboured breaths before skidding to a halt to stand alongside the others.

With a huge intake of breath I hunched over then gripped my knees. "Wow, you guys got here real early." I panted, trembling from my sudden early morning exercise. "Did I miss anything?"

"No of course not Ruby, you're just in time." Professor Oak assured me with a kind smile. "My grandson Gary and this other trainer Viktor had only just arrived. It appears you're all eager to meet your new Pokémon." Standing up straight I beamed at him.

"Of course!" Glancing to the others I quickly drew in their faces. Gary wore simple yet stylish clothes, a long sleeved purple shirt and also a necklace which hung down to his diaphragm, which looked rather weird to me. His dark hair spiked in all directions and he looked to be a little older than us other trainer initiates but he was ten, just like all the rest of us. The other aspiring trainer was short, with a smart buttoned up shirt, shorts and trainers, his light brown hair was smoothed back and he constantly fiddled with his glasses, chewing on his lips as he stood beside the taller Gary.

"Well it looks like Ash isn't going to turn up any time soon grandpa, I think we should just go in and get our Pokémon. He snoozes, he loses." Gary said with a smug smirk, folding his arms across his chest. It was only then that I noticed the group of cheerleaders sitting in the flashy red sports car, cooing and smiling prettily. "Gary, Gary he's our man! If he can't do it no one can!"

Arching my eyebrow I looked at him. "You actually have your own fan club?" I queried and that irritating smirk grew wider.

"Sure. They all know that I'm going to be the greatest trainer ever, so they're all rooting for me." He leaned a little closer then laughed. "Why, you want to join up?" I rolled my eyes.

"No thanks, I just think that's a little lame. You have to get a bunch of girls to actually cheer for you because it's the only way you can tell others how stuck up you are." Gary's face dropped in shock as I stepped forwards, following Professor Oak as he had turned and was already heading up the path.

"This way kids! Come and meet your Pokémon." Viktor trotted behind me, snickering behind his hand as Gary continued to stare at me with a look of disbelief. My insides clenched with excitement as we were led through the lab, heading towards the room where our Pokémon lay waiting for us. I could hardly wait, I didn't even know which one I wanted to choose!

There was Squirtle, the water type Pokémon, or there was Bulbasaur the grass type. I remember my mom told me to go for one of these two because they were nicer and easier to train, however I could not help but remain interested in the hottest Pokémon of all. Charmander, the fire type Pokémon.

Though they all held great power and were exceptional as Pokémon, I think I won't know which one I'll pick until I get there and see them. "So what Pokémon do you want to get?" Gary asked us. "I myself want the Squirtle so he's off the books. You two will have to fight over who gets the last two."

"Oh uh I…" Victor stammered, unsure of how to answer him so I frowned, lifted my chin then spoke up.

"If Victor or I want to take the Squirtle then we'll all have to reason with one another. Just because you're the Professor's grandson does not mean you get first choice. I think we should do this fairly."

"Quite right Ruby." Professor Oak said to me as he stood in front of a door. Instantly my heart leaped to my throat. This was it! "Now, inside are the three starter Pokémon and one of them is going to be your future companion. I want you all to think very carefully about the Pokémon you choose, because once you have chosen then I am afraid you will not be able to change your mind, unless you persuade someone else to trade with you." Biting on my lip I glanced to the others quickly.

Victor looked as nervous as I felt but Gary was as cool and calm as a Rattata bathing in the sun with a full belly. "Now, in we go." The door slid open and the Professor led us inside. Instantly I spotted the podium with the three Pokéballs sat neatly inside the dome, each one containing one of the three starter Pokémon Professor Oak had been given for us. "Think carefully kids, go and have a look at their information and decide which one you like the look of best." Gary instantly went to the Squirtle and pointed to it.

"I'm going to have this one." His grandfather arched an eyebrow then looked at both Viktor and me. Shooting a look at Gary I went around the three Pokémon and read the information that Professor Oak had drawn up for us.

Squirtle was excellent in defence because of its hard shell and its water attacks could hit with excellent precision and force. Bulbasaur was very balanced, with a range of attacks from its Vine Whip to Solar Beam which it could learn when it had gained more experience. However Charmander was a full blown attacking Pokémon with a hot temper. It took patience, confidence and skill to train a Charmander especially when it evolved into its later stages, but I couldn't help but imagine how powerful we could be together.

"I uh…I think I will take this one." Viktor babbled timidly, standing before the Bulbasaur Pokéball. "It looks a little easier to train than the other two." My mind made up, I went and stood before the Charmander assuredly.

"In that case, I'll take this one." The Professor hummed softly, holding his chin thoughtfully as he looked at us and our choices.

"Very interesting. I'm quite surprised you didn't go for the Charmander Gary." He admitted to his grandson who smirked with crossed arms.

"Yeah, Charmander's great but Squirtle has a better temperament as well as being strong in the defence category. It's important that trainers make sure that their Pokémon are strong in all aspects especially when they start battling." He shot me a look then smirked. "That little fire lizard may be powerful when it evolves but it'll be vulnerable to my water attacks." Grinding my teeth together I clenched my fingers into fists.

"Fire lizard? You wait and see. One day my Pokémon will battle yours and we'll show you just how strong we are no matter our defence stats!" I practically yelled at him until Professor Oak touched my shoulder and pulled me back.

"Alright, that's enough you two. How about we stop this and meet your Pokémon?" Instantly forgetting my anger I turned as the dome opened, sliding away and I reached out to pick up the Pokéball that held my new Charmander. It was lighter than I expected it to be though there was also a slight warmth to the smooth surface. "Okay, when you're ready press the middle button and let out your Pokémon." Professor Oak instructed so with a deep breath, I pressed the button.

The top flipped open and a flash of white light swept out, making me gasp as it journeyed to the floor then began to make a shape. Staring in awe I watched as a Charmander took shape, blinking its large brown eyes and I could only stare back with a shocked smile.

"My own Charmander…" I murmured then grinned. "Hi! I'm Ruby, you're new trainer." I knelt down and faced it, unable to supress my grin which was steadily growing wider over my face. "It's nice to meet you."

"Char!" The Pokémon beamed back at me, waving its arms as the flame on its tail sparked a little brighter. I giggled as it leaped at me and I instantly held out my arms for it, expecting a warm hug. What I got was a smack to my head with the firm skull as the Charmander then leaped back from me, snickering as I landed flat on my rear. "Hey! That was not nice." I scowled at it with a pout.

"Ha! I see you two are getting off to a smashing start." Gary joked and I glared at him. Did he really think that was funny?

"Oh haha, you're so hilarious." I grumbled, rubbing my head as the Charmander began to parade in front of me, crowing proudly. "You and I are going to have some very deep discussions." Suddenly I felt crushed. When I pictured receiving my first Pokémon, I had expected it to be a bonding moment that would forever remain in our hearts. Obviously not.

"So you can choose to nickname your Pokémon if you wish, it sometimes helps establish a better relationship." I couldn't help but shoot a second filthy look to the Professor for saying this. I could see that he too was struggling to hide his laughter as I picked myself up. "Now, here are your Pokédex's, Dexter I like to call them. These will record all the Pokémon that you see on your journeys and will give you information about them. I advise you go and find as many as you can and catch them too, it will help to develop your skills as a trainer and also prepare you for greater challenges. Providing, of course, you have trained your Pokémon well." I looked down to Charmander who was now yawning and scratching its side before turning to look up at me.

"Hmm…" I arched an eyebrow then sighed. Well, there was no going back on my choice now. I was stuck with this proud, rude and what seemed to be lazy Pokémon. Perhaps Gary should have picked him. They would have gone well together. "Okay, I can do this." I told myself, clenching my fist and closing my eyes to calm down. "Just stay firm and do your best."

Receiving my Pokédex from Professor Oak, I gratefully accepted some Pokéballs too. "So, are you going to nickname your Charmander?" He asked me as handed the items over to me.

"I don't know. I can't think of any names that would really suit him." I answered, watching as Charmander communicated with the Squirtle and Bulbasaur, the three of them seeming to get along perfectly fine.

"You think about it. Just remember, a good trainer will always find a way to succeed, no matter how impossible things may seem. You know this Charmander came from Cinnabar Island, from an egg that was found there abandoned near the volcano. Hatched it here myself." Looking up at the Professor I digested his words then nodded my head. I took the Pokéball that Charmander had come from then clicked the middle button.

"Charmander, return." A jet of red light shot out and swallowed it, settling it back into the Pokéball. With a sigh I watched as the ball shrank back to a small size in my hand before slipping it onto my belt. "Thanks Professor, I won't let you down." I promised him with a wave as I headed out the door.

"Hey Ruby, wait up!" Gary called and I turned to face him just as I had stepped out the door. "How about you and I have a little battle right now to test out our new Pokémon? Let's see who really has natural talent." I blinked at him then laughed.

"No, I'm okay. I'm not dumb enough to leap into a battle when I only just got my new Pokémon. I'm going to train it and form a bond with it so that we'll be stronger in battle. See you around Gary." I waved over my shoulder as I turned then strode out the facility.

The moment I was outside I side, shoulders slumping. Perhaps this was just a one off. Maybe Charmander wasn't so bad but just wanted to test my character. We'll grow to be best friends, you wait and see!


	2. Chapter 2

**Next chapter is up! So how about we do a deal, the more you guys review, the faster I'll post more chapters :) and also, if you leave any questions I'll answer them at the bottom of the next chapter respectively, how's that sound? Hope you enjoy!**

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"Honey! What Pokémon did you get? Oh let me see, is it a Bulbasaur?" Mom demanded the moment I got through the door. Pidgey swooped forwards and chirped.

"Pidgey!" It nuzzled my face and I chuckled.

"Hey there Pidgey, miss me? I was only gone for an hour." I smiled then allowed myself to be ushered forwards by mom who still had breakfast at the table ready for me.

"Well go on then, let's see! Don't keep us in suspense!" Slowly I reached out and picked up Charmander's Pokéball.

"Just…don't freak out okay?" I warned then sighed, my face sliding down into a worried frown. "Charmander? Out you come. Meet my parents." I opened up the ball and Charmander flashed into being, blinking its adorable brown eyes up at me before snorting.

"Char! Char!" Mom's face went drastically pale and dad just blinked before chuckling.

"Oh ho! A Charmander. Very brave of you." He commented then stood up, his black hair neatly combed to the side. He knelt down then held out his finger to Charmander. "Hello there, welcome to the family."

"Char!" My Pokémon whipped around and dad had to leap back to avoid the tail that came dangerously close to its face.

"Agh!"

"Honey! Why did you choose a Charmander? It's dangerous! Go and take it back this instant!" Mom shrieked, leaping up onto the table as Charmander started to run about the kitchen, arms held high as its tail wagged.

"Charmander! No, stop running about! Watch your tail!" I yelped and dove after it, fingers stretching out but I missed by inches and my Charmander whipped its tail to the side and caught the tablecloth with its flame, setting it alight. "Argh! No!"

"Fire! Fire!" Mom shrieked and I scrambled to try and put it out but the fire quickly spread, sweeping up the table. Frozen in place I thought quickly, looking around for inspiration. "Put it out! Put it out!" Mom was screaming as dad wrestled to keep his favourite slippers away from the blast of fire whilst Pidgey flew around the Charmander, attempting to keep it in check.

"Pidgey! Use your Gust attack to put out those flames!" I yelled, pointing to the table. We very rarely used Pidgey's abilities but this seemed a good time as any to put in some practice. The bird Pokémon called out and flew up to the ceiling, aiming its wings down then began to flap up a sharp gust of wind which knocked over the flowers but the fire began to dwindle as I threw water over it from the tap and poured the contents of the tea pot out also.

"Char! Char!" Charmander chortled and I shot him a filthy look once the flames were gone.

"Stupid Pokémon." I muttered under my breath. "Can't you be a little more careful?" In answer it turned and paraded away, knocking past one of our cabinets and the vase on top wobbled. "Oh no!" Diving forwards with a cry I watched the vase fall, one of mom's favourites.

"Catch it Ruby!" She yelped as she held the broom, trying to push my Charmander back as it tried to head towards the stairs. The vase fell into my hands as I crashed into the ground with a grunt, feeling the wind get knocked form my lungs. "Ow…"

Gradually rising to my feet and shifting the vase into one arm I picked up Charmander's Pokéball then held it out towards him as he jumped up onto the sofa. "Charmander return, now!" I snapped and summoned him back. I put the vase in its place then turned to face my parents, nervously giving a laugh as I scratched the back of my head. "He's just a little over excited." I excused for him. "I'm sure with a little training he'll be fine."

"Fine? You think I'm going to let you go out there with only that little lizard thing to protect you?" Mom shrieked, her face turning red with rage and I watched as she seemed to grow larger by the moment. "It's dangerous out there, I'm not going to allow my baby girl to go out there when she could be attacked at any moment and that little creature will only sit back and watch her get scratched to death!" I hung my head, sadness swallowing me. Sure I knew Charmander was a little rude and careless, but surely I could train him up and he'll come to like me?

"Come now my dear, you're completely over reacting. I think it's wonderful how Charmander was energetic and enthused to see his surroundings!" Dad beamed, stepping over to my side and I looked at him hopefully. "He's strong too, just one tap of his tail almost had our entire kitchen alight. Our Ruby couldn't be safer."

"Exactly, I'll be totally fine." I promised, grabbing some cereal and quickly wolfed it down. "I'm going to get my first badge very soon and then I'll collect the rest of them with my Charmander. We'll make the perfect team!" I assured her but my mom was still giving me a disbelieving look, however it was beginning to waver.

"Well…I don't know…" She mumbled darkly then sighed. "Alright fine."

"Yes!" I cheered, punching the air with my spoon before wolfing down the last of my food.

"On one condition." I froze in place then carefully eyed my mother.

"…what condition?" I asked her slowly and she gave a quick whistle and held out her arm to which Pidgey flew and settled there contently, chirping softly.

"On the condition that you take Pidgey with you. I'll feel much better knowing that she's with you." Pidgey puffed out its chest then called out, flying over to me then settled on my shoulder carefully.

"Pidgey? Take her with me?" I blinked then looked at my parents. "But what about you guys? Won't you miss her?"

"Of course we will, but we know you'll take good care of her." Dad said as he came forwards with my backpack. "Now, we've packed you plenty of supplies. There is food, water, sleeping bag, a change of clothes, your toothbrush and toothpaste, brush, a map and enough money to get you by comfortably." He told me, shaking the red backpack and I grinned.

"Thanks dad!" Taking it from him I looked to mom as she drew something out of her pocket with a sniff.

"I wore these when I was a trainer, I want you to have them now. They're lucky and will bring you luck too." She held out some fingerless gloves meant for Pokémon trainers as they had pads on the bottom to help grip onto the Pokéballs and also a red neck scarf, which I smiled at before tying it around my neck then pulled it to an angle so that the knot rested just to the side at the back of my neck.

"Thanks mom." I told her then hugged both my parents, turning my face into their warmth as they embraced me tightly.

"And remember, no matter how tough things get, always remember that we're rooting for you." Dad said to me but mom quickly interjected.

"But if things get too tough, you can always come right back home. We'll even come and get you!" She babbled. "And remember, don't talk to strangers unless their other trainers, then you battle them and absolutely _annihilate_ them." I blinked at her manic expression before laughing nervously.

"Sure mom, I'll do my best." I promised her with a firm nod of my head. "I'll call you when I get to Viridian City." Looking to Pidgey I smiled. "You ready to go on an adventure?" Spreading its wings, Pidgey nodded its head then flew towards the door, chirping as if to tell me to hurry up.

With a laugh I hurried over to the door and opened it, letting Pidgey fly outside but I paused to wave back at my parents. "Goodbye! I love you!" I called then began to run down the path, heading for Route One.

"Goodbye sweetie! Take care! Don't forget to brush your teeth!" Mom called and I grinned again, racing away with Pidgey flying overhead. The path turned into a trail and I stopped running, taking a deep breath of the open space before walking onwards.

"So Pidgey, if you're going to be my partner, I should really catch you in a Pokéball, is that okay?" I asked and my bird Pokémon nodded its head, banking down and landing gracefully on the ground. "Oh wait! Let's see what Dexter has to say about you." Remembering that I had to record every Pokémon that I see, I pulled my PokéDex out from my pocket and flipped it open, directing it towards Pidgey.

"Pidgey is a flying Pokémon. Among all the flying Pokémon, it is the gentlest and easiest to capture. A perfect target for the beginning Pokémon trainer to test his Pokémon's skills. Pidgey's Gust power creates tornadoes. It also has a Sand-Attack." Smiling I put Dexter away then turned to face Pidgey.

"Well, here goes." I drew out a Pokéball and clicked it. "Okay, Pokéball go!" Flinging it forwards I watched as the cap opened and it caught Pidgey with the light, drawing her in and the ball fell to the ground neatly, the centre glowing red with flashes as it quivered infrequently. Would it work?

After a few moments it went perfectly still and I yelled in victory, punching the air with a leap. "Alright! It worked! I caught you Pidgey!" Laughing I ran towards the Pokéball and picked it up. "Alright, you can come back out now, nice work!" I let Pidgey back out and she flew up into the air then circled me three times, whipping up a whirlwind which caught some fallen leaves, making me giggle. "Okay I know, I love you too." Looking down to my belt I then hummed. "Should we let Charmander out too? Perhaps now that we're out in the wild he'll be a little friendlier."

Encouraged by this thought I let Charmander out of his Pokéball. "Be nice now." I told him sternly as he turned those gorgeous brown eyes up at me. "No tackling me or setting my hair on fire." I warned then crouched down. "How about you and I start over, hmm?"

"Char! Charmander!" He crowed then snorted, throwing his head forwards slightly as if trying to spit something out. I frowned.

"Huh? Can't you use Ember yet? But you're a fire Pokémon." After a brief pause the answer was a scratch to the face, causing me to leap back with a yell. "Argh! Okay I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings." Charmander snorted then folded his arms, turning his head away from me. With a sigh I looked to Pidgey who cried out indignantly then landed beside me, turning a soft coo to me.

"Pidgey?"

"I'm fine, it's okay." I assured her, stroking her head. "At least I know he can use Scratch. That must mean you're only a little baby, no more than level five at least. That means you should know Growl as well." In answer I got a blast of sound that hit me full in the face and I was doubled over. "Ow."

With an affronted cry Pidgey swept up into the air then turned, angling her wings downwards then with a single strike against the air with her wings, a gust of wind shot down and struck Charmander, who cried out in shock. "Char!"

He struck a tree as I sat up, rubbing my head. "That's what you get for not playing nicely." I told him as I got to my feet then placed my hands on my hip. "Now I chose you, which means you and I are a team. Like Pidgey and me here, we work together and look after one another because we're friends. Now if you want to enjoy life and have some fun, then you'd better start learning some manners." I told him as he picked himself off the ground, rubbing his head.

Shooting me a snort Charmander folded his arms then turned his head away from me. Groaning I gave up and returned him to his Pokéball to have some time out. "What am I going to do Pidgey? If Charmander won't listen to me then I can't battle him!" Shaking my head I began to walk, Pidgey flying close to me. "Maybe I should have fought over Squirtle with Gary after all…"


	3. Chapter 3

**Third chapter is here, so hope you enjoy. I'm going to be really mean, and say that I won't post up another chapter until we get to say...let's say five reviews. Yup, five or more, then you guys get the next part. Aren't I horrible? Mwahahaha!**

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Feeling rather downbeat I stopped by a small pool to rest my feet as they were beginning to ache. "You know Pidgey, I think we'll be just fine on our own. This isn't as bad as I thought it would be. Nice weather, friendly neighbours, good food and company…well. Sort of." I looked down to the Pokéball which held Charmander then groaned. "Why does he hate me?"

"Pidgey…pidgey!" A soft face nuzzled my face and I smiled.

"I know. It'll be okay." I tickled her under her beak and Pidgey chirped happily. "How about you take a break from flying? You look tired." I suggested, picking up the Pokéball I had caught Pidgey with. "Sound good?" Pidgey nodded her head then flew to the ground, allowing me to transfer her back into the Pokéball. "Sleep well." I whispered softly then sighed, laying back in the sun to enjoy the warmth of summer.

After I had rested for a while I took out my map and double checked to make sure that I was going the right way before setting off again. I hummed a tune to myself, happily strolling through the pretty trail which would lead to the next town. I would rest there for a night, heal my Pokémon if need be then continue on to Pewter City so that I can earn my first badge.

I was super excited, I couldn't wait for a proper battle! My thoughts were disturbed by a rustling in the bushes so I stopped and peered closely into the grass. A shape shifted then a nose poked out, sporting several sweet whiskers. "Ah cute! A Rattata." Giggling I pulled out Dexter and let him register the Pokémon.

"A Forest Pokémon, Rattata. It likes cheese, nuts, fruits, and berries. It also comes out into open fields to steal food from _stupid_ travellers." I blinked at it.

"Well that's not very nice." I said to the screen of a purple rat Pokémon. "You shouldn't call people stupid, you know." Looking up I found the Pokémon was actually sitting right in front of me, blinking upwards whilst its nose twitched. "Aw! You're just so cute." I smiled, slowly kneeling down. "Hmm…should I capture you?"

In answer the rattata hissed and bared its fangs, eyes narrowing dangerously so I drew back. "Okay! Okay no, I won't. I can see you like being wild. Well, how about some food instead? I know I'm hungry." The Pokémon curiously tilted its head to the side and watched as I slowly drew my pack closer to me then pulled out some Pokémon food that mom had packed for me. "I don't know if it's any good so you'll have to tell me. Here you are." I took a cube and held it out to rattata who sniffed it curiously before sitting up on its haunches to take it. Sniffing it one more time it took a nibble then smiled brightly. "Rattata!" It wolfed the rest down then licked its lips, turning its large eyes back up to me.

"Haha, guess you like it huh?" I smiled then offered the Pokémon another which it took gratefully. "Well, I shan't keep you. Goodbye! Make sure you be careful of any other trainers, they might try and catch you no matter what you have to say about it."

"Ratta!" It called back then scurried into the grass again, disappearing from sight.

"Shame. It was adorable." I sighed then turned around. "Wow, I'll need to start upping my game. If I can't capture any wild Pokémon because they don't want to come with me then I'll only ever have the two Pokémon!" I looked down to my Pokéballs then smiled. "Not that I mind of course, I think you guys are great."

"Hah!" Something yelled and a dark object swept across my vision and I screamed aloud, leaping out my skin then gripped onto a low branch of a tree, gripping on with both arms and legs as I trembled. "Why are you up a tree?" A voice asked and I stiffened in place, then turned my head to look down, seeing a kid with a confused expression on his face, a walking stick in his hand.

"Oh! No reason. Just…getting my daily exercise." I babbled quickly, blushing as I let go and dropped to the ground again. "Hi! I'm Ruby." I introduced, holding out my hand to the kid who looked no older than me.

"I'm Toby and if you're a Pokémon trainer, then I challenge you to a battle!" The smile slipped from my face as he shook my hand.

"A battle?"

"Yeah!" He beamed then sprung back a few paces, drawing a Pokéball from his belt then took a stance, preparing to throw it. "What do you say?" A battle? A real battle? This could be interesting and loads of fun!

"Alright you're on!" I grinned, drawing out a Pokéball. "Pidgey, I choose you!" Flinging my Pokéball forwards then clenched my fists, preparing for the battle. The Pokémon who came out of the ball was not Pidgey, however.

"Char, Charmander!" My Charmander called then looked around curiously before running off to sniff at some flowers.

"Oops." I gave a guilty laugh and grin. "Guess I forgot to switch you guys around." Toby grinned then sent his own Pokémon forwards.

"Go Nidoran!" A male Nidoran left the Pokéball and I instantly pulled out Dexter to listen to what he had to say about it.

"Nidoran. Its horn is larger than the female's and its Horn Attack is quite powerful." I also knew that this little Pokémon had a Poison Sting which could hurt my Pokémon badly if it caught them. Perhaps I should withdraw Charmander…?

"Char!" Charmander leaped forwards, suddenly interested at this new adversary and clenched its fists tightly, preparing to battle and I stared in shock.

"Charmander? You want to battle?" Bursting into a grin, I punched the air. "Okay! Let's do this." Looking up at Toby he smirked.

"Your Charmander is only a baby whilst I have experience. This is going to be easy. Nidoran! Use Horn Attack!" With a gasp I watched as the Nidoran shot forwards faster than I could blink, lowering its head to aim its horn at Charmander.

"Quick, dodge it Charmander!" I yelled but Charmander ignored me. He lifted his little paw and swiped at Nidoran but the powerful attack thrust him backwards, flying over his head. "Charmander!" I yelped, my fists jumping to my mouth with worry as Charmander groaned softly.

"Char…char…" He rose back to his knees, pressing his hands into the ground.

"Quick Attack Nidoran, let's finish this before it's even begun!" Toby yelled encouragingly and I watched in horror as the Nidoran began to dart forwards again, head lowered for the Quick Attack.

"Charmander move! Use your Growl to put off the attack." Charmander lifted his head and looked at me, glaring slightly before turning to face Nidoran then let out a powerful Growl. Nidoran stumbled slightly when struck by the growl, its attack stats lowering but then it continued to dart forwards. "Now dodge it, leap up into the air!" I cried desperately, struggling to think of what to do next.

Charmander ignored me, however he did take my advice. He leaped to the side then took a swipe, landing a scratch to the Nidoran's side but Toby was already calling out again. "Nidoran, use Double Kick as fast as you can, don't let that Charmander get away!" Nidoran turned and prepared to buck its back legs so I thought quickly.

"Jump onto its back Chamander then deliver all the Scratches you can hit!" This time, Charmander decided to go along with my plan. He leaped forwards and landed on Nidoran's back just as it began to kick, missing the attack then gripped on with his legs to deliver two handed Scratches to the Nidoran, weaking it slowly bit by bit. "Alright! That's it Charmander!" I cheered happily, punching the air.

"Nidoran, use Double Kick again to get Charmander off your back!" Toby yelled so I thought quickly.

"Charmander, leap up into the air and use another Growl attack!" Calling out I bit my lip, hoping that Charmander would listen but instead he merely continued to scratch. The Nidoran kicked up his back legs and used Double Kick, easily flinging Charmander from his back.

"Ha! You have no control over your Pokémon. It doesn't even listen to you." Toby gloated as I slapped a hand to my face. "This is going to be easier than I first anticipated. Tackle!" Looking down to my belt I brushed my fingers over Pidgey's Pokéball, a plan formulating in my mind.

"Charmander!" I cried out as a tackle was landed on my Pokémon, throwing him off his feet and to the ground where he trembled, the flame on its tail dimming slightly. "Withdraw Charmander, that's enough!" I waved my hand then ran forwards, scooping him up into my arms. "Charmander? Are you okay?"

Blinking dazedly my Pokémon looked up at me, breathing heavily so that its tiny chest heaved up and down. Suddenly his tail swung out and smacked my face, making me yelp from the slight burn but no damage was done. "Okay, okay, I get it. You hate me." I sighed then stood up.

"Do you forfeit the battle?" Toby demanded to know but I turned a heated gaze onto him.

"No! I still have one more Pokémon left to fight. Go Pidgey, it's all up to you now!" I called and flung the Pokéball forwards, letting my Pidgey fly out. "Alright, let's show them how a real fight goes. Pidgey, use Sand-Attack!" I called and Pidgey swooped down with a cry.

"Pidgey! Piiiiidgey!" With its wings grazing over the ground Pidgey swept up a sandstorm, covering Nidoran in dust so that it couldn't see a thing. "Alright! Now use Quick Attack, before your cover disappears!"

"Nidoran, use Horn Attack!" Nidoran gave a confused call, searching around for Pidgey at his trainer's command. Pidgey gave a loud call as it dove down, tucking in its wings before slamming into Nidoran, throwing it off the ground.

"Now hit it with the strongest Gust you can muster, go!" I commanded, still cradling Charmander in my arms. He watched me in slight awe as I gave out my orders to keep Pidgey from getting hit. Pidgey flew back up then began to beat the air, summoning a strong gale force wind and I shielded Charmander from the blast.

Nidoran was lifted off the ground, with a cry of alarm, was slammed into a tree where it dropped down in a faint, no longer able to battle. "No! Nidoran!" Toby withdrew his Pokémon then looked at me in shock. "Wow, that's one powerful Pidgey. I've never see a Gust as strong as that before." I smiled happily then looked to Pidgey.

"You did great! I'm so proud of you Pidgey."

"Pidgey! Pi-pi-Pidgey!" My Pokémon chirped proudly then swept a circle around me, its small form shooting through the air as I chuckled then summoned her back into the ball.

"Thanks for a great battle, I'm sorry I doubted your skill as a trainer!" Toby said to me as he approached, looking to my Charmander. "Is it going to be okay?"

"Yeah, I have some Potion in my pack to fix him up." I assured him as I gently set my Charmander on the ground. "Now you just stay there and don't move, it's going to be okay."

"You know, you should really train him up a little more. Although your directions were good, he hardly listened to you." Toby said to me and I sighed.

"I know. I just don't get it. I got him only this morning but he's so stubborn and seems to hate me." Taking out the Potion I sprayed it on Charmander, letting it soak in so that he was revitalised. "How about your Nidoran? Will he be okay?"

"Yeah, I'm heading back down Route One searching for new Pokémon but I made sure to bring plenty of supplies with me. I'll revive him with Revive then he'll be right as rain." Toby assured me with a grin. "Well, good luck with your Charmander."

"Thanks, you too." I nodded to him with a smile. Toby waved then walked off, hands in his pockets so I turned to Charmander who was beginning to stand up. "Hey, are you okay?" He looked at me then growled under his breath, turning his face away and folded his arms. "What is your problem?" I demanded. "Don't you like me?"

"Char!" In answer he smacked his hot tail across my face.

"Wargh! Hot! Hot!" I yelped, quickly leaping back then rubbed my face. "That was not very nice!" I scowled at the Pokémon but I got no response. "Why won't you listen to me? Is it because you think I'm weak?" In answer the Charmander nodded his head.

"Char."

"Well I'm not! You saw how Pidgey and I battled that Toby, that was not weakness!" I practically yelled, tearing out my hair in the progress. "So why won't you listen to me?"

"Char, Cha-Charmander!" Slapping a hand to my face I groaned.

"Great. I can't understand a word you're saying and I have a mutiny on my hands. Well, perhaps you can help me Pidgey. Come on back out!" I let Pidgey out then pointed to Charmander. "Talk some sense into him. I'm sick of his bad attitude." Turning my back on Charmander I lifted my chin, closed my eyes then crossed my arms grumpily across my chest. Only then did I realise that I had struck the exact same pose of my Charmander.

"Pidgey! Pi-pi…Pidgey, Pidgey!" Pidgey began to talk with Charmander who snorted before answering.

"Charmander." With a flutter of wings Pidgey flew around to face me then began to coo.

"Pidgey, Pidgey…Pidgey!" She told me so I let my arms drop to my side to watch her. She flew a circle around me then pointed her beak towards the mountains and the sky away from us.

"Huh?" I blinked then tilted my head to the side. "He misses home? Is that it? He wants to go home back in the wild?" Pidgey nodded her head then landed on my shoulder as I turned around. "Charmander…do you really miss home that much?"

"Char." With a firm nod of its head I sighed then knelt down.

"Okay. I understand how that feels. I'm missing home already and we're less than a day away from where I grew up, but you, you're really young. I bet you only hatched from your egg a few weeks ago. Is that right?" Again Charmander nodded his head. "Were you taken from your family?" He shook his head.

"Char, Charmander." I frowned, trying to think of another possible answer.

"Did you…get lost?" After a small pause he nodded his head once.

"Char." Sighing I sat down cross legged on the ground, reaching up to stroke Pidgey's feathers.

"You know Pidgey got lost from her family too." Charmander lifted his head a little then turned to face us.

"Char?" I smiled and nodded my head.

"Yeah, she was only a little chick when she was blown out of the sky from her flock in the middle of a storm. It was my dad who found her and brought her home. We tried to find her flock afterwards but we never found them, but Pidgey stayed with us and look at her now! She's really happy."

"Pidgey!" Pidgey agreed, spreading her wings and nuzzled my face, making me giggle.

"Okay, okay, I know, I love you too." Tickling her feathers I then turned back to Charmander. "I want you on my team, Charamdner, I think you and I could be really great together, but I won't force you to stay. If we are a team then I want us also to be friends so that we can work together, but that's not what you want and I can see that now." Lowering my head I exhaled softly. "So I won't ask you to battle anymore or order you around. I'll even take you home, if that's what you want."

"Char! Charmander!" Charmander nodded his head enthusiastically and I felt my head sink in my chest.

"Okay then. I'll help you get to Cinnabar Island, that's where you came from, isn't it?" Chamander nodded his head ardently, jumping from foot to foot. "But we'll have to work our way there for the time being, I don't have enough money to pay for a boat but by the time we reach the port, we should have enough." I explained to him. "We'll have to leave at Fuchsia City, which is a long walk but I'll get you home, I promise."

Charmander leaped up with a cry of joy. "Chaaaarmander!" Pidgey nuzzled my face softly, cooing as she understood my sadness. My first Pokémon wanted to leave me. How crushing is that? Still, he was only a baby and I could hardly ask to keep him when all he wanted was to go home.

"Okay, will you please get back into your Pokéball? Or would you rather walk for a while?"

"Char!" He began to strut away down the path, flame sparking brightly.

"Hey wait up!" I ran forwards and Pidgey flew up into the air, circling over our heads as the sun began to set. We raced on down the trail, however, jogging at a happy pace as Pidgey kept a look out for a safe space for us all to rest for the night.

She found a clearing where I gathered sticks and struggled to start a fire on my own before eventually giving up. "Hey Charmander, think you can help me out a little?" I asked him and he looked at me before snorting.

"Char." With a shake of his head he stuck out his tail and rested his flaming tip on the neat tent of sticks I had piled up, lighting them up almost instantly so I was bathed in warmth.

"Thanks buddy!" I grinned then began to cook myself some food and gave out the feed that had been packed for the Pokémon. Pidgey munched away happily but Charmander spat it out with dislike, growling at the horrible taste. "I'm sorry, I'll find you something that's more to your taste in the next city, okay?" I smiled at him warmly and he seemed to be surprised by my friendliness towards him.

I shared my food with Charmander, which he seemed to like more than the Pokémon food, then we all settled down for the night, Pidgey perched up in a tree and keeping watch as Charmander curled up close to the fire, me on the opposite side in my cosy sleeping bag.

However I lay awake for hours, staring up at the stars with a feeling of disappointment and hurt. Even though I had chosen Charmander, I guess I had forgotten to factor in the need for him to choose me as its trainer. It was a valuable lesson, though, one I will never forget.

To be a great trainer, your Pokémon have to choose you as well or they will never truly be one of your team.


	4. Chapter 4

**Questions and Answers:**

 **Will you be continuing this story over into other arcs such as Johto etc?  
 _Yes I intend to continue over several regions, though I am not yet sure how far as of yet._**

 **Will you be following cannon or doing your own thing?  
 _Probably a little bit of both, though there will be points in the fiction which will deviate from the anime as it will follow Ruby's POV_  
**

 **Will any of the main characters capture any legendary Pokémon?  
 _Definitely not in the first arc, however in later works...who knows? Let me know what kind of legendary Pokémon you would like Ruby or others to catch and I will see if it is possible._**

 **Will Ash be Ruby's love interest?  
 _I am saying nothing as of yet ;)_**

* * *

Waking with a yawn I gradually opened my eyes, groaning slightly as I felt Pidgey pecking at me to wake me up. "Okay, I'm awake." I moaned, sitting up whilst still cocooned in my sleeping bag like a Caterpie. Quickly I glanced around the clearing but was glad to see that Charmander was still curled up on the other side of the fire, curled up sweetly into a tiny ball. He looked adorable.

"Well Pidgey, we'd better start thinking about building up our team soon if we're going to lose one of us soon." I murmured sleepily, stretching up my arms then wiggled out of my sleeping bag to roll it up and put it away.

I got breakfast going, some porridge with a sprinkling of sugar then fed Pidgey some of her favourite treats though she also went hunting herself and was quite happy to eat a few worms. "Charmander? You need to wake up now. We've got to get going again." In answer a tail whipped out and smacked me on top of my head. "Argh! That hurts!" I yelped, pouting as I drew back swiftly whilst clutching the top of my head. "I need to start wearing a helmet, I think." Shooting Charmander a look I put my hands on my hips. "Don't make me douse you with water, or get Pidgey to send a Gust at you."

Charmander yawned sleepily, ignoring my threats and I slumped instantly, groaning. "I am not carrying you if that's what you want." Still no answer. "Great." I searched around the clearing for a stick and found one only a few feet. It was also long, which was exactly what I needed.

Scooping it up I cautiously approached the sleeping Charmander, trying to be as quiet as possible as not to startle him. "Charmander? Wake up now." I cooed softly then began to prod Charmander in the side.

There was a low growl and his face frowned in irritation. "Wakey wakey!" Giving one last prod I finally got his attention. He opened his jaws and snapped them down on the stick, snapping it with one powerful bite and I yelped, dropping my instrument of torture and leaped back. "Okay! Sorry!" Groaning and rubbing my head I suddenly remembered that Charmander had a Pokéball. "I'm so dumb sometimes."

Picking it up from my belt I clicked the button. "Return Charmander." He was swallowed back into the ball just as Pidgey arrived back from her morning flight. "Feeling better?" I asked and she cooed at me cheerfully. "Great, let's get going then." I beamed then let her land on my shoulder before collecting the rest of my things together and setting off again.

I stopped at a stream to wash my face and refresh myself then continued on, though nothing really happened. A few times I came across a Pokémon which I recorded with Dexter but none of them were ones I particularly wanted to capture. They were mainly normal type Pokémon and if I was to become the greatest trainer of them all, I was going to need a team of strong, varied Pokémon types.

Pidgey was flying, so that ground was covered. I should probably get an electric and water type Pokémon as they cover quite a lot of ground for type advantages, however there was one other small problem. I would need to find a Pokémon to replace Charmander, as after I take him home then I would be without a fire type Pokémon.

With a sigh I looked up to the sky, seeing a flock of Pidgey overhead then smiled. "We'll make everything work out, Pidgey. You wait and see. Everything just needs to work out the way it chooses and we'll make the best of every situation that we can." Pidgey chirped in agreement then flew forwards, scouting the path ahead to check for danger.

Just ahead I could see Viridian City and a smile broke across my face. "Alright! Not bad timing hey guys? It's nearly dinner time, so let's go get some good food!" I began to run ahead, grinning happily then pranced into the city.

"Hold it!" I skidded to a halt, freezing in place. "Who are you and where are you going?" A stern female's voice demanded and I turned to face an officer with blue hair, her uniform the perfect image of pristine neatness. My mom would have approved.

"Oh, I'm Ruby. Ruby Bates." I informed her. "I'm a Pokémon Trainer heading towards Pewter City to get my fist badge but I was hoping to stop here for the night, or catch a bus to the next city." Smiling nervously I clasped my hands behind my back as the officer looked at my curiously.

"Hmm, do you have identification?"

"Identification? No I don't, I'm just a kid who only got their licence yesterday. Please, I haven't done anything wrong!" I began to plead, worried that she thought I was some criminal or something.

"That's what they all say." She told me, placing her hands on her hips. "Do you have a Pokédex at all?" Nodding my head I pulled it out to show her whereby she then began to press some buttons.

"I'm Dexter. A Pokédex programme by Professor Oak for Pokémon Trainer Ruby Bates of the town of Pallet. My function is to provide Ruby with information and advice regarding Pokémon and their training. If lost or stolen I cannot be replaced." I blinked in surprise.

"Dexter is my identification?" I questioned and the officer smiled at me with a nod.

"Uh huh, see? It has your picture too. Aren't you pretty?" I blushed and scuffed a stone with my shoe.

"Thank you ma'am." Just then I heard a flap of wings and Pidgey landed on my shoulder with a soft cry.

"Pidgey!" I laughed.

"Hi! Did you find any big worms?" Pidgey nodded her head and I giggled. "Well I hope you didn't bring any back for me this time."

"Is that your Pokémon?" The officer asked and I nodded.

"Yeah! Pidgey has been in my family for years but mom insisted I take her with me on my journey, to keep me extra safe though Professor Oak gave me a starter Pokémon anyway. I chose a Charmander, you know." Instantly my smile dropped and I looked down. "Though he doesn't want to stay with me. He wants to go home so I'm taking him back to Cinnabar Island where the other fire Pokémon live to try and find his family."

"Aw that's so sad yet so good of you." The officer said to me. "I'm Officer Jenny, it's nice to meet you Ruby. I'm sorry about the rude interrogation but you see, we've been having a problem with Pokémon thieves lately. We've been on the lookout for any suspicious strangers for a while now." She smiled at me. "But you seem like a good kid, so I'll let you be on your way. The Pokémon Centre is just up ahead, just a few minutes down the road. You should rest your Pokémon there so that they're ready for the next part of your journey."

"Gee, thanks!" I smiled, stroking Pidgey's head. "Come on Pidgey, I'll race you!" I called then ran off but turned to wave back at Officer Jenny. "Goodbye! Thanks again!"

"Just be careful!" She yelled after me. "And don't break any laws!" I giggled then ran on, Pidgey flying slowly overhead as to not make me feel bad for pitifully losing to her speed. The Pokémon Centre was hardly difficult to find, seeing as it was so large I could hardly miss it.

I walked in through the double doors to see a pretty pink haired nurse sitting at the desk, typing away at her computer but upon seeing me she smiled. "Good afternoon! How can I help you?"

"Hello, my name's Ruby. I was wondering if you could just heal up my Pokémon for me and possibly spare a room for the night, please? We've had a long couple of days and we had a fight with another trainer, though my Charmander was the one who took most of the hits."

"Of course! If you would just hand over your Pokémon then I'll be glad to heal them for you." She nodded to me, standing up and pulled out a tray for me to put my Pokémon on. I picked up Pidgey's Pokéball then directed it towards her.

"Come on Pidgey, you deserve some proper rest. Return." Pidgey flapped her wings then flew into the jet of red light, allowing herself to be withdrawn into her Pokéball.

"Thank you, we'll have them healed in no time." The nurse assured me. "You have nothing to worry about. My name is Nurse Joy, please, make yourself at home whilst you wait."

"Thank you." I smiled then walked over to a table where there were some biscuits and a few magazines so I selected one of the treats then began to flick through my favourite Pokémon magazine.

Time flew away and before I knew it, it was dark and I was hungry so I ate some sandwiches then looked around. Without warning the doors flew open and a motorcycle came skidding inside, trailing smoke as it burned against the ground.

Officer Jenny planted her foot down and I leaped up, looking with confusion as a boy jumped out, cradling a Pokémon in his arms. "We have a driveway you know."

"It's a Pokémon emergency!" Officer Jenny argued, her face stern and serious as the boy stepped forwards with worry and deep concern as I made my way down to see closer.

"Please help it!" Wait a moment, I know that boy, it's Ash Ketchum! Although I've only seen him around school and never really talked to him, we were always at Professor Oak's summer camps trying our best to _be_ the best, though Gary would always beat us somehow.

"Looks like a Pikachu. We'll do what we can." Nurse Joy said then turned to her computer. "I need a stretcher for a small electric Pokémon, STAT!" In less than no time two Chansey came calmly forwards pushing the stretcher, wearing sweet little nurse hats and bright smiles. Ash handed the Pikachu over to Nurse Joy and she carefully set it on the stretcher. "It'll be okay." She said confidently. "Rush this Pokémon to the critical care unit." Oh that poor Pokémon, I hope he'll be okay.

Firmly nodding their head the two Chansey wheeled the Pikachu away with a soft murmur. "Chansey…"

"Hey Ash?" I took this moment to speak up and both Ash and Officer Jenny looked at me.

"Oh Ruby! I'm glad you found the Pokémon Centre nice and easy." Jenny smiled at me and I gave her a brief smile too before looking at Ash who blinked.

"Oh uh, hi Ruby."

"Hey, was that your Pokémon Professor Oak gave you?" I questioned and Ash instantly hung his head, his cap hiding his face from view.

"Yeah, but we got attacked by a swarm of Spearow! We both got pretty beat up but then Pikachu used the last of its strength to protect me. It's all my fault he's like this and now he's in critical care!" I reached out and touched his shoulder with a comforting smile.

"It's okay, Nurse Joy knows what she's doing, your Pikachu is in the best place it could be for great care and rest." Ash looked up a little hopefully so I smiled a little further then let go. We looked to Nurse Joy who was pulling on some operation gloves.

"We'll begin the treatment right away." She informed us all.

"Uh…" Ash started, taking a step forwards but Nurse Joy merely looked at him.

"Who are you?" Officer Jenny was the one to answer, her warm smile soothing everyone's concerns for a moment.

"His name is Ash. He's the Pokémon's trainer." Quickly Ash spoke out.

"If there's anything I can do, please just tell me!" Wow, it looks like he really cares about his Pokémon despite only having it for such a short amount of time. Their bond must be really strong.

"You can be more responsible." Nurse Joy told him sternly with a stern face.

"Huh?"

"If you want to become a Pokémon trainer young man, you don't let your Pokémon battle until it's in this condition!"

"But you don't know what happened!" Ash tried to explain but Nurse Joy placed her hands on her hips and gave him a look of disapproval.

"What's past is past. Now we have to heal your Pikachu." Ash hung his head for a moment and stepped back before summoning the courage to look Nurse Joy in the eye once more.

"What can I do?" He pressed so Nurse Joy exhaled then softened her features, giving Ash a smile.

"Just leave everything to me." Ash looked down at his feet once more, feeling ashamed so I stepped closer and took off the blanket I had wrapped around me and placed it around his shoulders to offer him some warmth.

"It's in your hands." Officer Jenny said as she saluted. "I know you'll give the Pokémon excellent care." Nurse Joy beamed sweetly.

"You got it here just in time!"

"That's my job!" Officer Jenny trilled brightly then blinked, her face falling guiltily. "Oh my goodness! I left my motorcycle parked at the front desk!" Nurse Joy chuckled.

"Next time use the driveway." She reminded gently then waved as Officer Jenny walked off with a quiet laugh. "Ash?" We both looked to Nurse Joy who turned to head to the critical care unit. "You'll have to go to the waiting room."

"Can't I…?" But Nurse Joy had already stepped through into the critical care unit and the doors slid shut behind her, a bright red cross painted on their front.

"It's okay Ash, your Pikachu will be fine now." I assured him. "Remember Nurse Joy said you got it here in time, so try not to worry." Putting my arm around him I smiled. "I'll get you some hot chocolate and something to eat, you look terrible!" In answer his stomach growled.

"Yeah, I guess that would be nice." He muttered despondently, still hanging his head. "I just hope Pikachu will be okay."

"It'll all be fine. You wait and see." Smiling confidently I sat him down then went over to a hot station and bought him some hot chocolate. I also pulled out some readymade food from my backpack and let him pick at it though I think he was really too nervous to eat.

I sat with him, not really knowing what to say. At eight the clock cooed as the Pidgey sprang in and out of its little house, signalling the hour and I yawned, feeling quite tired but I decided to stay up, because there was no way I could sleep without knowing how Pikachu was. The poor little guy.

"You know, I think I'll call home and let my mom know where I am." Ash said and I leaped up.

"Oh! That's a great idea. I completely forgot to call my family." I laughed guiltily. "Oops, silly me. I'd forget my head if it wasn't screwed on tight." I shook my head then went over to one of the phone stations to type in my home phone number.

I listened to it ring before finally my dad picked up. "Hello? This is William Bates speaking."

"Hi dad!" I called down the phone and instantly there was a scramble.

"Hi honey!" Dad laughed. "How are you? Where are you?"

"Honey are you hurt? Do you need us to come and get you?" Mom instantly took over, probably having just snatched the phone from my dad and I giggled as the screen filled with their faces practically pressed to the lens.

"I'm fine mom, honest! Not a scratch or bruise." A slight lie but she didn't need to know that. I was covered in a few scratches and bruises from falling over but nothing was serious, so it was fine. "I'm at Vermilion City Pokémon Centre and I'm going to stay here the night before going on to Pewter City tomorrow, so everything's great! I even won my first battle, thanks to Pidgey of course." I grinned and dad forced his hand against mom's face to take over the screen.

"That's great honey, we're so proud of you." He smiled lovingly and I couldn't help but grin back but then mom shoved him out the way.

"Are you remembering to wash your face in the mornings? And is there somewhere you can wash your clothes because I cannot stand the thought of you wearing the same set of clothes for more than two days in a row!" I laughed again.

"There's everything I need right here mom, so don't worry. My clothes are already washed, dried and packed again." I assured her then shifted in my seat to get comfier. "I'm making sure that I eat and brush my teeth, my shoes are perfectly intact and I'm getting plenty of sleep." I listened all the next questions she was likely to ask me before she could go off in a long list of demands.

"That's brilliant sweetie, I'm glad you're taking care of yourself." Dad said, pushing mom out the way again. "Don't forget to stock up on supplies before you leave in the morning, it's important that you consider your health and wellbeing as much as your Pokémon's." He told me diplomatically and I nodded my head.

"I'll make sure I restock, don't worry." I nodded then blinked as mom practically barrelled him into the ground to stand in view of the camera.

"Honey, are you remembering to train your Pokémon against other Pokémon to make them stronger? It's something your father never did which is why he always lost his battles." Mom said and dad lifted him off the ground with a crestfallen expression.

"Hey! I did not lose _every_ battle. Only most of them." I giggled as mom blew him a kiss and he instantly sobered.

"Yes mom, but not all the time. Like you said, it's also important that you pace your Pokémon so that they will still have the strength to battle other trainers and keep you safe whilst in the wild." I lifted my finger to recite her perfectly. "I've got everything under control, so don't worry." I smiled to them. "I miss you."

"We miss you too honey." Dad answered but mom pressed a hand into his face and pushed him back, taking up the entire screen as she leaned forwards.

"Are you homesick? Do you want to come home? You are looking rather pale, honey, maybe you should let us pick you up then you can start your journey again perhaps when you're a little older." I groaned, face falling as my head slumped lower into my shoulders.

"No mom, I'm perfectly fine. I have to do this on my own so I can find out who I really am. It's all great."

"That's the spirit Ruby!" Dad cheered. "Now you go get some rest. We love you so much and we're both very proud of you. Aren't we my dear?" Dad looked to mom and she sighed sadly.

"Of course honey, we're extremely proud of how grown up you're being. I'm sorry I worry so much, I just miss my baby girl so much already." I smiled and nodded my head.

"I understand mom. It's okay. Goodnight, I love you both!" I waved at them and blew a kiss which mom pretended to catch.

"We love you too!" Reaching out I cut the call then sighed, leaning back in the chair whilst rubbing my head.

"Wow, and I thought my mom worried." Ash said to me and I laughed shyly.

"Yeah, that's my mom. She used to make me wear a helmet when I went out to play in the garden in case something would fall out of the sky and land on my head." Standing up I looked towards the doors where Pikachu had been taken away through. "Any news?"

"No." He sighed sadly, lowering his head again.

"Now I've got you!" A voice yelled and I turned my head to stare at a red headed girl carrying a completely demolished bike on her back, glaring angrily at Ash. She wore tiny shorts and a cream crop top with suspenders, a really cool outfit if you ask me. Makes my shirt and shorts look just tacky. "I knew I'd find you here!" She accused, breathing heavily.

"Hey what happened to your bike?" Ash asked, pointing at it as he stood rooted to the spot.

"What happened to my bike?" She repeated in disbelief. "You happened to my bike you little loser!" She snapped, pointing to the melted tyres and crumbled frame, every inch of it blackened and crispy.

"You did that? Wow, I'm impressed." I said to Ash though I probably did not help the girl's temper.

"It's not funny!" I gave a little shrug then lifted my hands with a guilty laugh.

"Sorry." She stepped closer to Ash, focusing her unbridled fury on him as she continued on her rampage.

"This is all that's left after you stole it to save your Pokémon! Now I can see why your Pokémon is in the…woah-woah-WOAH!" She began to wobble, the weight of her bike pulling her backwards despite it being a complete wreck.

"Watch out!" I called and dove forwards, trying to steady her but the girl fell backwards and squashed me beneath her, forcing the air from my lungs. "Ow." I pouted, flinching as I felt her elbow dig into my back. "That hurt."

"Oh! Let me help you!" Ash ran forwards and tried to offer a hand to the redhead but she slapped his hand away, still flattened on top of me.

"I don't need your help! And you're going to pay for what you did to my bike!" She sprang to her feet then stopped. "Huh?" Hearing my groaning on the ground she turned and looked at me. "Oh I'm sorry! I didn't see you down there."

"What, you thought the floor just happened to be softer than usual?" I questioned as she helped me up then began to ask if I was okay. "I'm fine, I'm fine, just going to be a little more bruised than before." I smiled at her. "I'm Ruby! It's nice to meet you, and this is Ash. We're both from Pallet Town." She gave me a smile.

"Hi, I'm Misty." But then her face darkened and she clenched her fists, turning a threatening look to Ash. "I mean what I said! You're going to get me a new bike or else I'm going to make you pay dearly for destroying it!"

"I'll make up for it, I promise I will, really!" Ash answered then nervously looked back towards the critical care unit. "But I can't do anything about your bike until…"

"Ugh! I don't want any of your lame excuses kid, I just want a new bike right now!" Wow, Misty can be scary. She even rivalled my mom and that's saying something.

"It's my Pikachu. My Pikachu's not too good." He murmured softly whilst looking at his face and Misty instantly relaxed and showed a little sympathy, blinking at him. We all looked to the bright red light that sat on wall above the double doors.

"Is it very serious?" Misty asked in a tiny, caring voice.

"I think so. And there's nothing I can do to help now." I rubbed Ash's arm in a comforting way. I knew what it felt like to be so useless in such a situation. I remember Pidgey once getting seriously hurt after a fight with some Rattata who were threatening some young kids and I'd foolishly sent her in alone instead of running to get help. She handled them all pretty well but took a big beating herself. I'd waited for ages in the Pokémon Centre hoping and praying that she would be alright but felt so completely useless as I couldn't do anything to help.

Suddenly the light went off and we all gasped, watching as the doors opened to reveal Nurse Joy, Chansey and Pikachu still on his stretcher, either asleep or unconscious with a band around his head and a light bulb, signalling his electricity levels. "Oh!" Ash raced forwards with us two close behind. "Pikachu are you alright?" He called out but Pikachu gave no sign of hearing him.

"Your Pikachu is resting. It's a good thing you got it here so fast, the procedure went well and it should be fine." Nurse Joy informed and we all let out a collective sigh of relief.

"Thanks to the Pokémon Centre." Misty put in then looked to Ash who had a wide, relieved smile on his face.

"Yes, thank you so much." He looked down at Pikachu, which looked like a yellow rodent really but it looked adorable to me.

"Now all your Pokémon needs is a good rest in the recovery room. You should go in with it Ash." Nurse Joy said to the boy next to me who beamed and nodded his head.

"Thanks." He then looked to Misty, an apologetic look on his features and I rolled my eyes with a shake of my head. "Listen, I'm sorry about your bike, but I'm going to need some time to make things right." But her rage escalated and she leaned into Ash's face, eyes becoming dark and stormy.

"No way! I fell for that last time." She snapped at him, frightening the lights out of Ash and I giggled. This was too funny. "Well, you should take care of Pikachu now and we'll settle up later."

"Uh…okay." Ash answered nervously, carefully watching Misty to see if she would go off in a rage again. Suddenly the room was filled with sirens and I squeaked, my clenched fists jumping to my mouth and I nibbled on my knuckles nervously.

"Your attention please!" Officer Jenny's voice called out and we all looked to the speakers up on the ceiling, shaped like three Pokéballs. "Our Viridian City radar sensors have detected an air craft belonging to a gang of Pokémon thieves. If you have a Pokémon in your possession, then exercise extreme caution!"

"Pokémon thieves!" I yelped. "They can't have my Pokémon, I'd rather throw myself into a lake of Gyarados than let them take my Pokémon!" Misty shivered.

"Gyarados scare me." She whined and I shivered too. On second thoughts, maybe a lake of Magikarp would be a better idea. Suddenly there was a smash and we all gasped and looked up to see two Pokéballs come crashing through the glass pane on the roof and land on the ground.

The lids popped open and suddenly we were faced with an Ekans and Koffing. "Agh! It's an Ekans!" I yelped. "Ekans scare _me_ more than a rabid Ratticate!" Leaping backwards I sucked in a deep breath, staring as the snake Pokémon hissed at us.

"Koffing!" The round, gas emitting Pokémon grunted then floated through the air, using its Smog attack to fill the room with a dark smoke that irritated my throat and caused me to cough along with everyone else.

"What are-who are they?" Ash asked as he leaned over Pikachu, preparing to protect the Pokémon from anyone and anything.

"Don't be frightened, little boy." A woman's voice said and I peered through smog to see two shapes beginning to form. One was a woman, with long hair that curved backwards and the other a man with slightly longer hair than what was usual for a guy.

"Allow us to introduce ourselves." The man spoke and slowly I began to see their faces. The woman was admittedly quite pretty, though there was a malicious look about her that I did not like. She wore large green earrings and her pink lipstick was only a few shades brighter than her hair.

"To protect the world from devastation." She began to recite and I blinked before looking to the man who spoke next. His hair was a purplish blue colour and his eyes were green but he also held a rose in his hand, which was quite odd.

"To unite all people within our nation."

"To denounce the evils of truth and love." The woman continued and finally I could see them clearly. I scrutinised their outfits, quietly thinking how unattractive they were. The woman wore a short white crop top with a black band underneath as well as a dangerously short skirt, black gloves that reached past her elbows to the sleeves of her uniform top, which also had a large red 'R' with a split up the centre. The man was similarly styled though he wore longer white trousers and his shirts was longer, though there was still a split and he wore black underneath.

"To extend our reach to the stars above." He continued, holding the soft rose petals to his face as the smog continued to clear. My hand instantly went for Pidgey's Pokéball but my eyes widened when I realised that she wasn't there.

"Jessie!"

"James." They introduced and I began to slowly frown at them. These people were weird, who in heck are they?

"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light!" Oh, that explains it.

"Surrender now or prepare to fight." James finished in a calmer tone than Jessie, both of them smirking sickeningly.

"Meowth! That's right." A little Meowth finished, jumped down from the roof to land between the two with his shiny amulet glinting at the centre of his brow. Wait, did that Meowth just talk?

"What are you talking about?" Ash asked worriedly, keeping a hold onto Pikachu's recovery bed.

"He just doesn't get it, does he?" Jessie smirked whilst looking menacingly at the four of us and I shall admit, I was more than happy to shrink back behind Misty. That girl was probably the only thing in this room more frightening than those two Team Rocket members.

"How can I? You're not making any sense." Ash retorted simply as James stepped forwards to Jessie's side.

"We're here for the Pokémon." He revealed and I gasped, fists jumping to my mouth as my knees began to tremble and buckle.

"You're not getting Pikachu!" Ash suddenly found his mettle and somehow that gave me courage too, because I stepped forwards and held out my fist to them.

"Or any of my Pokémon. You dare touch one Pokéball and you'll have me to deal with!" Jessie laughed.

"Pikachu? We're not interested in your precious electric rat, or your whimpering Pokémon little girl." I growled under my breath. Maybe I should introduce them to Charmander? Then they'll be sorry they called him a wimp.

"We seek only rare and valuable Pokémon." James continued, still holding his rose.

"You're wasting your time." Nurse Joy told them bravely. "This is a centre for weak and injured Pokémon." Jessie cocked an eyebrow and let her smirk grow a little, which chilled me to the bone.

"Well that may be so, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if we find a few Pokémon gems among all the junk." Shaking off my chill I stepped forwards and held up my hands, trying to play for a little time to come up with a plan.

"Hold it! Everyone stop where they are, don't move, don't blink, don't even breath, I have some important questions to ask." Waving my hands I looked at Jessie and James who were looking at me with surprise, their mouths hanging slightly open. "First," Looking down with a deep sigh, pulling on a serious face I began to form the question. I sprang back into position, one hand on my waist whilst frowning at them. "Why are you wearing peas on your ears and why do you have a rose? They're both totally last season and where did you get those boots? Because they seriously look like they need to be replaced and when was the last time you two had a bath? Or is that just your Koffing that stinks because seriously, that is some serious odour right there." I pinched my nose together and pretended to retch.

"How dare you! These earrings belonged to my friend who stole them from a friend who swiped them from a stall!" I arched an unimpressed eyebrow.

"Figures. They're quite lame and tacky."

"Urgh!" Jessie growled deeply, eyes blazing in anger. "You little twerp! You'll pay for that!" She threatened so I merely yawned, keeping up my false bravado as long as I could.

"Sure, you do that. I'll just be waiting for the next century to roll around because by that time, maybe you'd have caught up with fashion and I'll be more willing to let myself be seen in public with you." Steam practically blew out of Jessie's ears as she snarled in rage, James clutching his heart as he flung a dramatic arm over his eyes.

"The wound, it has been cut deep into my soul!"

"Pull it together you clowns and let's get those Pokémon!" Meowth snapped then swiped his claws, leaving several light scratches across both Jessie and James's faces and they yelped from the sting.

"You're starting to bug me." Ash growled and I sucked in a deep breath to boost my confidence.

"Isn't that cute?" Jessie retorted and Ash glared at her with irritation as I slowly began to inch closer to the others again.

"The boy's bugged." James agreed.

"Meowth! Then let's squash him!" Meowth suggested.

"Koffing, attack!"

"Ekans, go!" All courage then disappeared.

"ARGH! GET IT AWAY!" Spinning around I shoved everyone forwards, pelting away as Koffing spread more of his Smog attack and I heard Ekans hiss somewhere within it. "Let's go, let's go!" I chorused, causing everyone to yell as I pushed the recovery bed with everyone else practically on it.

Just as we raced around the corner Ekans shot out of the Smog and I yelped in fear, hearing as it smashed into the computer and blew it up, completely demolishing it. Nurse Joy managed to leap off the bed and led the way, taking us into the Pokéball holding facility to hide from Team Rockat's Pokémon. Not a moment after the doors had slid shut I heard the Pokémon go past, the hiss of Ekans making me tingle nervously all over. I always hated snakes.

The lights flickered overhead, hissing slightly before going out completely. "Hey, the lights!" Misty noted and I instantly nibbled on my knuckles.

"They must have cut the power." Nurse Joy explained but then smiled. "But we've got our own Pika-Power source!" Suddenly the lights flickered back on again and I gasped, looking up and around before I spotted where the source of electricity was coming from.

A ring of Pikachu were running on a turbine, their electricity sparking from their cheeks which then shot up into a large disk which then fed the Pokémon Centre its electricity. "Wow look at all the Pikachu!" Misty exclaimed as she pressed her face up against the glass.

"Oh they're so cute! I totally want one." I giggled as we both watched them run, listening to their sweet calls as they encouraged one another on. Suddenly the computer flashed on and an electronic voice began to speak.

"A crisis situation has arisen. Initiating emergency Pokéball transport sequence."

"We have to save those Pokéballs!" Nurse Joy said to us all and I watched as a claw picked up a Pokéball then carefully carried it over to a bowl topped device which began to tunnel the Pokéballs towards another machine which shot out bright jets of white light until the entire Pokéball vanished.

"Woah…" I breathed, impressed already.

"This is the Viridian City Pokémon Centre. We have an emergency situation. Transporting Pokéballs!" Nurse Joy said aloud into the microphone and she was swiftly answered.

"This is the Pewter City Pokémon Centre." The woman's voice replied so I turned and continued to watch the transaction, holding a hand to my pounding heart. Looking over to Pikachu I felt sorry for the little critter. He still looked in bad shape, it'll be a while before he would be able to leave here.

Just as I was starting to get my hearteat under control again, black smog started to pour in through the cracks in the doors and I gasped, stumbling backwards. "Hey, guys?" I pointed and everyone spun around in time to see the doors burst open and Koffing came floating inside. "Koffing!" He smashed clumsily into one of the cases and it shattered upon impact, scattering Pokéballs everywhere.

"Get those Pokéballs!" Nurse Joy commanded and I instantly flustered to get them off the ground.

"Right, this is war!" Misty declared and I yelped, almost dropping those that were in my arms. "Don't just hold them, throw them!"

"Right! Pokéball, here we go!" Ash yelled as he flung the ball forwards. I stepped back and began to feed the Pokéballs through into the transmitter, helping to get a few more to safety. The Pokémon appeared from the Pokéball and when I saw it, my heart leaped for joy.

"Pidgey!" I called but then frowned. "Wait, you're not my Pidgey." It was the wrong colour. This Pidgey had darker feathers to my Pidgey. Also, the moment Ekans appeared in front of it, the Pidgey screeched in terror and hurriedly flew away.

"That thing can't beat us." Jessie crowed as she and James stood at the door, standing sideways on with stylish poses. I'm really starting to dislike those guys.

"No? Well try this one!" Ash returned then flung another Pokéball. "Pokéball, here we go!" This time, however, when the lid sprung open it revealed to already be empty. "Uh…empty?"

"We're never going to beat them that way." Clenching my fists I jumped forwards, standing in front of the others.

"Alright, I've had enough of you all." I growled then turned back to Ash. "You get Pikachu out of here to safety, Nurse Joy, save the rest of those Pokéballs. Misty? Get a Pokémon from somewhere. You and I are going to take on these dumb grunts."

"Dumb grunts? Who do you think you are twerp?" Jessie demanded but I merely smirked, my confidence doubling as I pressed my fingers to my lips then blew as hard as I could. A loud, shrill whistle shot out from my mouth and Team Rocket flinched, clapping hands to their ears but as I glanced around, one of the Pokéballs wriggled.

"Alright, come on out!" I grinned, turning to face Pidgey's Pokéball as it snapped open.

"Pidgey!" My bird Pokémon called out as the light faded to reveal her pretty speckled body, her wings spread to let her saw over us.

"Pidgey, let's take down these losers!" I called and Pidgey came to perch on my offered arm, calling out proudly and confidently.

"Pidgey!" Misty came forwards too with a smile, Pokéball in hand.

"We'll take care of these three clowns, let's do it!" Jessie laughed, arching a delicately eyebrow.

"That's pretty big talk for such a little lady." Misty smirked.

"At least you're right about the pretty part, thanks for the compliment." I laughed, letting Pidgey hop to the ground where she lowered her stance and spread her wings, preparing for my command.

"The girl thinks she's pretty." James commented slyly and Jessie gave a sour little laugh.

"I agree with her. I think she's pretty too. Pretty pathetic!" Misty's face and entire demeanour changed at the insult and I glanced at her as she growled.

"Agh, I'll show you! Pokéball go!" Pidgey hopped back with a call as the Pokémon formed into shape and I was met with a fish. A pretty fish, with billowing fins and tail but still, a fish.

"Goldeen…Goldeen, Goldeen, Goldeen, Goldeen…" It sang softly as it flailed on the ground. Misty directed the Pokéball back to the pink fish Pokémon.

"Goldeen, return." This time Team Rocket didn't hide their amusement at the rather lame attempt at intimidation.

"That's her best shot?" That Jessie is seriously beginning to twist my tail.

"She's all washed up." And their puns were seriously out of date too.

"You know as well as I do that a water Pokémon can't battle on land. I was just warming up." Misty told them with a bold expression on her face.

"Warming up?" Ash questioned so Misty shot him a look and a hiss.

"Just get Pikachu out of here!"

"Right!" He yelped then began to race away.

"Okay Pidgey, it's up to you and me now." I said to her. "Don't be afraid, I'm right here beside you."

"Pidgey!" Jessie threw back her head and laughed.

"Is this the best you could do? A drowned out fish and a feathered flea bag?" My anger sparked at this. No one insults Pidgey and gets away with it.

"Hit them with your Gust attack Pidgey!" I yelled and Pidgey called out in agreement.

"Pidgey!" She rose up into the air and before either Jessie or James could react, they were flung back out into the corridor then flattened into the wall.

"Quick, get the rest of the Pokéballs!" Nurse Joy called but she sent a smile to me. "Excellent move, Ruby." I smiled shyly with a blush.

"Thanks! Pidgey packs a powerful Gust." Turning around I went to face Team Rocket again but found them all to be gone, even that scary Ekans. "Oh no! Pidgey, help me find them before they cause any more damage." I called then ran to find them Pidgey soaring ahead on her fast wings.

"Pidgey!" She called so I turned and followed her, letting her lead me back to the front of the Pokémon Centre where Ash was peddling hard on Misty's bike with Pikachu sitting at the front. Suddenly he began to spark and then his entire body was covered in sparks, generating a high voltage of electricity. "Pidgey quick, get back!" I yelled and held out my arms, letting her dive into me so that I could shield her with my body. I turned into the wall and hid in the corner, looking out through a small gap to see a powerful bolt shoot out from Pikachu, who directed it at Team Rocket.

They went up in bright sparks, the power from Pikachu's electricity sending them flying backwards through the roof as it exploded further, collapsing part of the building and I cried out in fear, only just hearing Pidgey's frightened coos as I kept her away from the voltage blast. If that's not a Thunderbolt then I don't know what is.

Pikachu's voice rang out clear, echoing as the pace of my heart matched the beating of a herd of Rapidash galloping across a plain. When the buzz died out I slowly uncurled myself and looked at the rubble around me, Pidgey shaking out her feathers before hopping to perch on my knee. "Pidgey?"

"I'm okay." I assured her then stood up, letting her fly up. "Ash! Pikachu!" I raced forwards, jumping over the rubble to where Ash lay on the ground groaning. "Ash, you okay? Come on talk to me!" I gripped his jacket and shook him as Pikachu got up and shook himself off.

"Pika? Pikapi!" He leaped over and nuzzled Ash's face worriedly. "Pikachu?" He sniffed, ears flattening down and I reached out to him, gently rubbing his head and neck.

"It's okay Pikachu, he's still breathing." I assured him gently but Pikachu stepped further up Ash's chest, sniffing him carefully before his body tensed. Instantly I whipped my hand back as Pikachu's eyes narrowed.

"Pikachu!" He snapped and a small shock jolted from him into Ash, who jerked upwards with a yell.

"WARGH!" I laughed, hiding my mouth behind my hand to try and cover the fact that I was laughing at someone else's pain. "Pikachu!" Ash grinned the moment he was fully conscious and Pikachu smiled.

"Pika!" Instantly Ash was tackled with a hug from Pikachu, who nuzzled into his chest and I smiled down at the adorable scene.

"Hey! Are you guys okay?" Misty called as she rushed through with Nurse Joy. I turned and smiled to them both, Pidgey resting happily on my shoulder.

"We're all great! Team Rocket won't be bothering us any longer." I grinned. "How about we all get some rest now? I'm exhausted!" We all blinked, looked around the rubble then began to laugh aloud. I couldn't stop giggling, it was probably because of the adrenaline that was still pumping through my body.

Perhaps I'll leave this little adventure out of my recollections when mom demands the full recount of my journey.

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 **Thanks for reading guys! Remember to review with any questions as I always skim through them, though I would like to know some Pokémon you would like to see any of the main characters catch, so give me a heads up! See y'all :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Sorry for the long delay, exams are back and their back with a vengeance :( wish me luck all! And good luck to anyone taking exams, hope this story gives you a bit of a break, peace!**

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The next morning in the early dawn I stood outside the Pokémon Centre facing Misty and Ash with a smile, Charmander and Pidgey now safely in their Pokéballs at my waist. "You sure you don't want to travel with me?" Ash asked again. "You're more than welcome to come along. You'd be doing me the favour, because then I won't have to deal with only Misty all the time." She clobbered him upside the head and I giggled.

"It's your own fault! You're the one who destroyed my bike and I'm not leaving until you repay me!" Still smiling I shook my head.

"No thanks, I really want to spend some time on my own, start to find my own strength and personality. Maybe next time we meet we could join up together, it will be fun." Ash nodded his head.

"Okay, if that's what you want."

"Pikachu! Pika, Pika-pi!" Pikachu called to me and I smiled to him and reached out.

"Aw, I'll miss you too Pikachu. But don't worry, we'll see one another real soon. I promise." I curled my hand around his cheek and rubbed him, ignoring Ash's suddenly worried face.

"Hey watch out, he might…huh?"

"Chuuuuu!" Pikachu cooed adorably and I giggled as I continued to rub his cheek.

"See? We're best buddies already." I winked at Ash. "I'll see you all soon. Goodbye! Good luck Ash!" I turned and began to walk away, waving to them as I went until finally I turned and began to jog towards Viridian Forest. It was full of bugs and new kinds of Pokémon. I couldn't wait!

Once I was out of the city and heading towards Viridian Forest I took out my two Pokéballs then flung them forwards. "Alright you guys, time for some exercise!" I cheered then caught both of them again when they returned to me, Pidgey and Charmander appearing after the flash of light.

"Pidgey!"

"Char! Char! Charmander clapped his hands then began to race around my feet before lowering his head and ramming into the back of my legs.

"Woah! Easy!" I yelped as I stumbled forwards but Charmander merely bashed into me again, trying to get me to walk forwards. "Alright we're going, just calm down that hot flame mister." I told him then began to walk, Charmander toddling happily at my side.

Pidgey flew overhead but then she spiralled down and flapped in front of my face, making me smile and giggle as I reached up and stroked her feathers. "Pidgey…Pidgey…" She tweeted happily. I said nothing, merely gave her a tickle in her favourite spot then watched as she soared back into the air again.

Looking down I noticed Charmander was looking at me strangely. He had his head cocked to the side, watching the interaction with curiosity. Noticing I was looking at him he snorted then lifted his head to proudly saunter away. Shaking my head with a sad sigh I followed after him.

I played games with Pidgey and tried to persuade Charmander to join in but he refused, sitting on a rock whilst looking away from us as I played catch with Pidgey. She soared through the sky gracefully, catching the small tennis ball easily in her talons as I launched it forwards as far as I could then brought it back to me. "Alright! Nice catch Pidgey, this time catch it with a Gust, try and throw it back to me!" I called then flung it with all my strength.

Pidgey called out determinedly then swept downwards, racing against the tennis ball before overtaking it and turning so that she could direct her wings back. Powerful gusts of wind flew against me and I lifted my arms to shield myself though I was smiling as the tennis ball came flying back to me.

I reached out and snagged it, just about managing to trap it in my fingers as Pidgey let up her attack. "Nice!" I cheered. "You're great at this Pidgey."

"Pidgey!" She agreed proudly, nodding her head then looked to Charmander. "Pidgey, Pi-Pidgey!"

"Yeah come on Charmander, come and play with us." I said to him. "It's a lot of fun if you join in." Obstinately he shook his head.

"Char." Signalling his answer was final, Charmander hopped off his rock then marched away down the road and into the Viridian Forest.

"Hey wait up!" Groaning with a roll of my eyes I stuffed the tennis ball back into my backpack then hurried on after him. I jogged to catch up but that little Pokémon sure can move. Pidgey flew on ahead to keep him company whilst I increased my pace into a run and only stopped when I had caught them up. "Wow, you guys…sure move fast…when you want to." I panted for breath whilst gripping my knees.

"Ha, you look more worn out than your Pokémon should be." A voice called out and I stood up.

"Huh?" The bushes ahead of us rustled and Pidgey instantly took a defensive stance, angling her body to prepare to protect me. "Who are you?"

"I'm Carl, I'm a bug catcher and I challenge you to a battle! I've recently caught a whole hoard of bug Pokémon and not even your little fire lizard will be able to beat them!" A spindly guy crawled out of the bushes then grinned at me, a net in his hand and a healthy collection of six Pokéballs at his waist. "Go Caterpie!"

He sent out a little caterpillar Pokémon and I giggled. "Aw it's so cute!" Pulling out Dexter I listened to the information it had on the Caterpie.

"Caterpie, the Worm Pokémon. To repel enemies, Caterpie releases an unpleasant odour from its red antenna. It malts several times while growing." So maybe the information didn't paint it to be as cute as it looked, but look at those big eyes! It's just adorable.

"So, do you accept my challenge?" He questioned and I grinned.

"You bet! Pidgey, I choose you! Charmander, come stand back with me." Charmander huffed then folded his arms, walking away then sat down on the ground away from both the battle and me. My shoulders and head drooped instantly as I groaned. "Charmander…"

"That Pokémon doesn't even listen to you. I hope that bird doesn't pick on its habits." Smirking I turned back to face him.

"Pidgey is the best Pokémon in the world! Let's show him Pidgey!" Pidgey flapped her wings and lisfted herself off the ground, hovering as she called out confidently.

"Pidgey!" Smiling I looked over to Carl who clenched his fingers tightly around his net.

"Okay Caterpie, use String Shot!" Instantly I came up with a counter attack.

"Dodge it and use Gust!" Pidgey banked swiftly to the left, avoiding the String Shot then flapped her small wings, which still created a strong wind which whipped the bug Pokémon backwards, its tiny voice shrilly calling.

"Pie!" I felt a little sorry for it, its body suddenly going limp as it flew towards a tree.

"Catch it Pidgey! Don't let it hit anything!" Pidgey called out in agreement as Carl chomped down on his nails and gasped.

"My beautiful bug Pokémon!" With a swoop through the air Pidgey angled her body then arched her body, stretching out her talons to catch Caterpie as if it were the tennis ball. "Don't hurt it!" Carl fussed in fear as Pidgey brought the fainted Caterpie back.

"It's okay, she knows to be gentle." I assured him as Pidgey carefully put the Pokémon down in Carl's hands.

"I'm sorry Caterpie. I'll fix you up real soon." Now he turned an angry look on me. "I'll show you. Go Metapod!" The cocoon like Pokémon appeared and I blinked at its blank expression. "Quick, use Harden!"

"Metapod, the Cocoon Pokémon. Metapod's vulnerable body is surrounded by its hard shell, which protects it while it waits to evolve." Dexter informed me without me even needing me to ask.

"Hmm, hard shell huh? Okay, shouldn't be a problem. Pidgey! Use Quick Attack!" Pidgey tucked in her wings and slammed into the Metapod, knocking it over but then it just lay there, completely useless.

"Use Harden again Metapod! Don't let that stupid bird crack your hard shell!" Pidgey, with a look of disgust, sent a gust of air at Carl and knocked him over.

"Nice one Pidgey, now let's use Peck!" Pidgey landed beside the Metapod then began to peck at its shell. "Keep using Peck!"

"Harden! Use Harden Metapod!" Carl practically screamed and Metapod's shell began to glow but Pidgey pecked away, spreading her wings to shield him before I lifted my hand.

"That's enough Pidgey, you've done it." Sure enough when Pidgey stepped back, Metapod's eyes were closed and his shell was slightly scuffed from the attack it had endured.

"Oh! Darn it." Carl pouted as he returned Metapod. "Alright then, let's see you take on Weedle!" I smirked.

"Fine by me. Use Gust!" Pidgey sent that Pokémon flying right back into its Pokéball. The next two Pokémon were just another Weedle and Caterpie, so Carl was now down to his last Pokémon as Pidgey dispatched them all with relevant ease. With only one Pokémon left, Carl growled in irritation whilst biting at his nails.

I looked over to Charmander to see if he was okay and was surprised to see that he was watching the battle with a little interest. I smiled at him but he merely growled then looked away and my face fell.

"Alright, so you've beaten my other precious bug Pokémon, but this one won't be so easy. Go Beedrill!" I gasped and stared as a Beedrill was let out of its Pokéball, the buzz of its wings instantly putting me on high alert.

"Talk to me Dexter."

"Beedrill. This Pokémon is an evolved form of Weedle, following its Kakuna stage. Its sting is highly poisonous." Looking up I swallowed nervously at the three foot tall Beedrill, who pointed its drill hands towards Pidgey.

"Be careful of that sting okay Pidgey? Use your speed and evasiveness to keep out of its clutches." I called out then put Dexter away. "Okay, let's start things off with a bang. Use Sand-Attack!" Pidgey dived for the ground then began to kick up sand, throwing it into Beedrill's face and it buzzed in annoyance.

"Beedrill, use Poison Sting!" Carl cried then began to laugh manically. "Go my beautiful bug Pokémon!"

"Get out the way and fly high! Get above the Beedrill!" I called out and Pidgey instantly darted forwards, flapping her wings just as the Beedrill slammed its stinger towards her but hit the ground instead, burying it deep. Instantly I punched the air. "Alright! Go Pidgey, let's give them a taste of your strength, use Twister!"

Pidgey began to fly in tight circles, creating a small twister around the Beedrill as it tried to fight against it. "Hurry and get out of there! Fight against it Beedrill, you can do it!" Carl yelled but Pidgey did not let up. She spiralled around and around, building her Twister higher until finally, she struck through it with a slice of her wings and it finished, leaving Beedrill a crumbled heap on the ground. "Beedrill!" Carl yelled then ran forwards. "Beedrill are you okay? Can you get up?"

"Bee…drill…" It muttered then fell limp. Red washed over it and it went back into the Pokéball, leaving Pidgey and me victorious.

"Alright! We did it Pidgey." I cheered and caught her as she dove towards me and I nuzzled into her feathers, laughing. "You were excellent Pidgey, I'm so proud!"

"Pidgey! Pidgey!" She rubbed her head into my neck, making my giggle as her feathers tickled my skin then I let her go so she could fly up into the sky.

"Thanks for a great match, I hope your Pokémon will all be okay?" I questioned Carl who offered me a weak smile.

"Yeah we'll all be fine. Thanks for stopping to battle me, I guess I got a little over excited. I haven't had a battle in a long time because I've been focusing on catching bug Pokémon but I guess I should probably look after the ones I already have a little better first." I smiled to him.

"I know you'll do great. Goodbye!" I waved as I continued to follow the main path that led the way to Pewter City. Along the way I played more games with Pidgey to increase our bond but no matter how hard I tried, Charmander just didn't want anything to do with me. "Come on Charmander, just one game?" I pleaded with him, on my knees and grovelling before him as he kept his back turned to me. "Please? I'll throw the ball one time and all you have to do is catch it. Please? Pretty please? I just want you to have some fun." I continued, holding the tennis ball in my hand then held it up. "I'll buy you some chili spiced sweets in Pewter City…?" I bribed and this seemed to do the trick.

Charmander turned then sighed, rolling his eyes before nodding his head. "Charmander."

"Alright! You ready?" I asked as I leaped up then prepared to throw the ball. "You'll have to run for it, go!" I flung it forwards and Charmander watched it with a bored expression before walking forwards at a slow pace. Instantly I felt my entire composure slump as I watched Charmander approach the ball as it landed on the ground, picked it up then tossed it over his shoulder back to me. "Ugh…great job Charmander." I muttered then picked up the tennis ball.

Charmander snorted then pointed to the road, telling me to get moving. "Okay, yeah. Let's go." Despondently I followed, feeling really put out. Why won't he play? He's meant to still be a baby, I thought all babies liked to play games!

Pidgey landed on my shoulder and tried to console me, rubbing her head against mine and I sighed. "I don't know. Guess he'll only be happy when we take him back to his family. But what if they're not there?" I whispered to Pidgey who shrugged. "We'll just have to keep looking, I agree."

So we continued our journey through the forest, seeing several different bug Pokémon but I didn't catch any. Bug Pokémon were cute but I didn't really feel a tight bond to any of them. I'll know my Pokémon when I see them, then I'll catch them.


	6. Chapter 6

**So this is a fairly small chapter so I might upload the next one pretty quickly...maybe :) I hope you guys are enjoying the read as much as I enjoy writing the story, but I'll hand over to Ruby now!**

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Somehow I managed to persuade Charmander to train a little during our time in Viridian Forest, though he could be incredibly stubborn and mostly did his own thing until I pulled rank and either forced him to sit out or made some sort of bargain with him. So far I owed him a lot of spicy sweet treats.

Still, he was growing stronger and better every time we practiced, even Pidgey nodded in approval as he fought off a swarm of Weedle without her help, though initially I had sent her in but Charmander had growled at her and shot me a look that read that he could do it himself.

The Weedle ran away in fear and Charmander nodded his head smugly, folding his arms. "Char."

"Wow! You were totally awesome Charmander!" I beamed. "You're going to grow up to be a strong Pokémon one day." He looked at me curiously but did not reply. We were about to move forwards when I felt someone creeping up behind me. "Huh?"

"Hiyah!"

"WAARGH!" I yelled, diving backwards as a sword swiped at me. "Watch where you swing that thing!" I bellowed at the Samurai who sheathed it gracefully.

"My apologies, lady, but I have been watching you for a long time now." I blinked at him. That's not at all creepy. "I have fought two trainers from Pallet Town, all of them displaying incredible strength and battle skill. I have come to challenge you and then the last of the four, that is of course if you are a trainer from Pallet Town." I smiled.

"That's me. I'm Ruby." I introduced myself. "Who are you?"

"I am Samurai. Now, trainer of Pallet Town, fight me!" With a flash of his bug catching net which was slid onto his back, Samurai then flung forwards a Pokéball. "Go Pinsir!"

"Pinsir? What on earth is that?" I startled backwards then pulled out Dexter as the Pokémon emerged from its ball. It was a bug type Pokémon that looked like a brown beetle with long arms, muscly legs, horrible gaping mouth with long teeth and finally, claw like horns on its head which clamed together. "Wow…"

"Do you accept my challenge?" Samurai demanded to know as he stood with a smirk behind his Pinsir.

"Pinsir. This fearsome Pokémon uses its powerful claws to put the squeeze on its opponents." Thank you Dexter, but I think I figured that much out for myself.

"Okay, let's do this!" I agreed. "Pidgey, I choose…"

"Charmander!" Charmander leaped forwards and faced Pinsir, boldly inhaling and exhaling deeply to ready itself for battle and its tail flame brightened, getting hotter as he excited himself up for the fight.

"Charmander? You want to fight?" I blinked in surprise.

"Char." He nodded his head. Slowly I sighed.

"Okay, but you're going to have to listen to me, deal?" He gave no reply but I allowed him to remain in the field, deciding to give him a chance. Looking up to Samurai. "I'm ready, what are the terms?"

"This will be a one on one battle with no time limit." He answered. "Now begin! Pinsir, use Focus Energy!" Pinsir stomped the ground and a red light circled around him, sweeping upwards as it growled.

"Pin! Pinsir…" It hissed, looking menacingly at Charmander.

"Charmander, use Growl to lower its attack!" However Charmander sprung forwards and pulled back its claw to use Scratch instead. "No! You mustn't get too close! Watch out for the horns!" I yelled and my fists jumped to my mouth with worry, watching helplessly as Charmander went for the Scratch.

"Pinsir, use Bind! Clamp down on that little pest!" Pest? PEST! I'LL SHOW YOU PEST!

"Argh! Dodge it Charmander!" I yelled as Pinsir lowered his head and tried to sweep up Charmander. This time Charmander leaped up into the air, listening to my direction then landed on Pinsir's back. "Great, now you listen to me!" I shouted, pointing to Charmander who blinked at me in surprise. "I have had enough of your attitude. If you don't start listening and doing as you're told then you and me are going to have serious issues. If you want to win this fight then you need to listen to _me_ and not your own vanity." His jaw dropped open slightly as my anger continued to escalate as Pinsir tried to shake Charmander off.

"Use Seismic Toss Pinsir, flatten that Charmander!" Quickly I thought of a way to escape the attack.

"Charmander, Growl as loudly as you can! Try and startle Pinsir out of the attack!" I called and Charmander paused before nodding his head. He leaped back off Pinsir, flying up into the air then sucked in a deep breath. What we heard was hardly a Growl, it was more like a Roar! The force of the Growl slammed into Pinsir and he stumbled, clapping his hands to his ears to block out the sound but his attack stats practically hit the floor.

"Alright, now use Scratch but keep behind the Pinsir, avoid his horns and limbs to protect yourself!" Charmander landed on the ground just as I spoke so he raced forwards and began to scratch the Pinsir, swiping at its hard body.

"Quickly use Vice Grip, don't let that little Charmander escape!" Samurai called and Pinsir whirled around.

"Move Charmander!" But it was too late. The horns clamped down around Charmander and he cried out as he was lifted off the ground.

"Chaaaaar!"

"No!" I gasped and Pidgey flew up, preparing to attack but I flung out a hand. "This is Charmander's fight Pidgey, you can't get involved." I informed her so she dropped back down to a branch, watching closely as Charmander continued to struggle.

"Clamp down tighter!" My eyes widened. What could I do?

"Charmander, hit him with another growl then Scratch for all that you're worth!" I yelled but Charmander began to light up with a red fuzzy glow, flickering brightly as his rage escalated. He turned his head down then spat out a large burst of fire, hitting the Pinsir in the face which made it cry out and let go.

"Pinsir!" I gasped. Charmander had learned Ember? Alright!

"Way to go Charmander, now hit him again with Ember, let's finish this!" Charmander called out in agreement as he inhaled oxygen to stoke up his fire source.

"Char! Chaaaaaarmander!" Fire shot out in a short but powerful burst, slamming into Pinsir and swallowed him completely.

"Pinsir!" Samurai called out as the flames engulfed him.

"Hold fire Charmander." I commanded but Charmander ignored me and shot another burst again. "Charmander! That's enough, stop that!" I yelled at him and he looked around at me as if surprised. I glared at him. "You can't obliterate your opponent like that, once they've had enough then that's it, the battle is over. You've already won so what else is there to prove? Only that you're being a bully. So stop with the fire attack and just sit there until I'm ready to deal with you."

To my surprise Charmander sat down and lowered his head, sullenly looking at the ground as I turned my glare away then walked towards the Pinsir, who was collapsed on the ground and groaning, still covered in little flames from a burn.

"Piiinsiiiir…"

"Hey it's okay." I murmured as Samurai rushed over.

"Pinsir! Are you alright? Don't worry, I shall get you to a Pokémon Centre as fast as I can."

"No need." I told him brightly, fishing through my things. "Here, this is a Burn Heal and a Super Potion. My dad gave me a basic rundown on the essentials for a Pokémon journey. I'll heal him up for you right here." I first gave the Burn Heal, putting out the flames then the Super potion.

The bad condition lessened and I watched as the scratches disappeared as well as the burns. In no time at all, Pinsir leaped up then began to nuzzle me in thanks, rubbing his hard shell against my face which was surprisingly soft. "Haha! You are more than welcome." I beamed, giggling as I rubbed his head. "You just take care now, okay?"

"Thanks you. You are indeed, a worthy and honourable opponent." Samurai bowed as I stood and I smiled to him.

"It's no trouble, thank you for a fantastic battle, you really taught me how to be a better trainer. Despite you having the advantage of experience, I was able to use my Pokémon's skills to his own advantage." Nodding my head to him I chuckled. "Well, the last trainer you'll need to find is Ash. He'll be heading through this way sooner or later, I wish you luck with your battle with him but be careful, he has some pretty powerful Pokémon!"

"Thank you. Good luck to you also." Samurai smiled as he returned Pinsir to his Pokéball. "Farewell to you, honourable rival."

"Goodbye." I waved as he moved on, waiting until he was gone before turning to Charmander who was still sitting on the ground where I had left him. "What am I going to do with you?" I sighed, all anger now disappeared. "Hey." I murmured as I knelt down in front of him. "That was a pretty impressive battle. You're really growing strong now, in no time at all you'll be sprouting a pair of wings and flying up into the sky as a Charizard." I tried to cheer him up but he merely whined.

"Chaaar!" Getting up he sulked over to my belt then pressed his Pokéball and returned himself.

"Oh come on, don't be like that." I groaned. "I'm sorry I yelled at you, that was wrong of me." Still no answer. "Okay, well…you rest up then. You definitely deserve it." With that I lifted my arm and let Pidgey settle on my shoulder before heading on towards Pewter City.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter seven as I promised, and it's longer than the previous one, so enjoy ;)**

 **The reason Ruby doesn't have Pidgey as her very first starter Pokémon is because Pidgey is a family Pokémon, belonging to predominantly her parents so she had to get a starter from Professor Oak if she wanted to go on the journey, not expecting that Pidgey would go along with her.**

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The gym was pretty impressive but I didn't go there straight away. First I went to the Pokémon Centre to heal up my Pokémonm was shocked to find that the nurse was called Nurse Joy and looked exactly the same as the Nurse Joy in Viridian City, then I ate out at a Pokémon friendly restaurant because I was getting kind of tired of travel food.

"Hello! How many are you today?" The waitress that met me at the waiting point asked and I smiled shyly.

"Just the one with two Pokémon, thank you." She smiled brightly.

"No problem! A table has just opened up over here, if you'll just follow me." I did so, easing my way carefully around the Pokémon that filled the room, sharing meals with their trainers and I smiled. This was such a nice place. "Here you are!" The lady trilled and I looked to her as I slid into the booth meant for two.

"Thank you very much." I said to her as she handed me a menu.

"Please keep all special attacks to the minimum, if by any chance your Pokémon accidentally destroy or set fire to something, then please do not be alarmed, it happens all the time and you'll only be asked for a small consolation fee to repay any damage. There is a fire extinguisher under your chair for the safety of everyone in the restaurant should any fire Pokémon happen to set something alight. When you're ready to order, give me a holler!" She recited brightly then walked away.

"Okay guys, it's time to eat. Come on out!" I let Pidgey and Charmander out of their Pokéballs and Pidgey instantly chirped.

"Pidgey!" She landed on my shoulder then looked around her curiously, observing her surroundings before twittering in excitement, flapping her wings and began to flutter around my head, pecking at my hair playfully and making me laugh as Charmander looked around him then lifted his nose into the air, taking a deep breath to inhale the scents before rubbing his belly hungrily as it rumbled.

"Char!" I giggled as he began to lick at the leather of the chairs, his mouth watering as he lifted his nose and sniffed all the wonderful smells that poured from the kitchen once again.

"Okay guys, I'll order us an entire feast! How about a bird feed salad for Pidgey, some spicy sushi for you Charmander and a burger for me?" I questioned and the two Pokémon instantly nodded their heads, calling out eagerly so I placed the order then waited with them for the food.

When it came out, even I was drooling as the delicious smell of food swept over us. Pidgey chirped happily at her bird feed salad, which was basically a load of seeds and worms, her favourites. The spiced fish went down a treat with Charmander and he wolfed them all down pretty quickly, he had finished before I had even taken a bite out of my burgers! I had ordered two, because I was pretty hungry but now Charmander was sniffing the air and watching me with his large, beautiful brown eyes.

"Oh, you want some?" I asked him then parted a piece of the burger patty to share with him. "Here you go, try some of that." Charmander nibbled on it then his eyes seemed to sparkle.

"Charmander!" He crowed then gobbled it all down before leaping onto the table, flaming tail swinging wildly and almost hit Pidgey, making her snap her beak at him in annoyance.

"Be careful!" I laughed, smiling to him. "Here, have some more then." I shared my burger with him, letting him hold it in his little hands and he sat down happily on the table, munching through it as I did the same.

He wore a happy expression as he ate his way through the burger, licking the crumbs and sauce from his lips as he finished up the last of it. "I guess you like that don't you?" I smiled to him. "I do too, burgers are great. They're one of my favourite things to eat." Charmander nodded his head in agreement.

"Char! Char!"

"I tell you what, if we see a stand then I'll buy you a hot dog. You should try one, they're just as good as these burgers." Charmander's eyes sparkled hopefully at me and I couldn't' help but admire how cute he looked. "I promise."

"Charmander!" He sprung up then began to dance, kicking up his feet and waving his hands with his tail swinging around wildly. He was so lost in his own happy dance that his tail knocked against a painting and set it on fire.

"Agh! No!" I yelped then instantly beat it out, blushing furiously as I whacked at the flames with my jacket until they were successfully doused. "Phew."

"Ha, nice one." A satire voice commented and I blinked before groaning.

"Oh no, not you." I turned and put my hands on my hips, looking at Gary with an arched eyebrow. "What do _you_ want?" He smirked.

"Well, I came here hoping for something good to eat when I saw you. Thought I'd come over and check up on you." He stepped forwards then sat down opposite me, tapping his jaw thoughtfully. "You only caught two Pokémon?"

"For a matter of fact, yes. But only because I haven't yet seen another Pokémon that particularly attracts my attention." I answered back snottily. "How many have you caught then?"

"Oh, around twenty or so." I chocked on my burger as I had just bitten in and swallowed some. I coughed and rasped for breath, hands covering my mouth and Charmanded frowned at me before slapping me on the back and dislodged the piece that had stuck in my throat.

"Thanks Charmander." I gasped then looked at Gary. "Twenty!"

"Yeah, some Pokémon I've captured more than one of, I like to have a wide variety of Pokémon for when I go challenging gym leaders. Have you tried Pewter Gym yet?" I shook my head.

"No, I'm going to go tomorrow afternoon once we've all had some rest. It's been a long day and we're pretty tired." I answered then looked up at the waitress who smiled.

"Oh no, this won't do at all! You're all completely crowded in here, you can't even let the rest of your Pokémon out! Follow me to a bigger table, we'll set you and your girlfriend somewhere more comfortable!" She trilled brightly and my mouth dropped open.

"I am not his girlfriend!" But she didn't appear to have heard me as she was already ushering me forwards with Gary following behind with a lazy smirk on his face. Pidgey looked to her food then sighed, flying after me and Charmander blinked.

"Char!" He yelped then leaped off the table, hurrying to catch up with us. The waitress showed us to a massive booth which was much quieter and had a lot of space, a long table for many Pokémon to sit at with blocks for any smaller ones to be able to reach the table.

"I'll have your usual brought right over Mr Oak, and something for the lady too!" The waitress giggled, blew a kiss to Gary then trotted away. I stared after her then to Gary.

"You're a regular?"

"Of course, my parents used to bring me here all the time." He shrugged. "I'm a rather special guest, they always reserve this table for me." He gloated before picking up his Pokéballs. "How about I show you my team, Rubes? They're quite impressive." I made sure to continue a blank expression as six Pokémon were brought out from their Pokéballs.

"Squirtle!" I looked to the Squirtle and smiled.

"Hey there, remember me?"

"Squirt! Squirtle, Squirtle!" He agreed with a nod of his head and waddled over, blowing bubbles from his mouth to surround us and I giggled, unable to hide my amusement at the cuteness of the Pokémon. Squirtle wore a smug look on his face as he breathed out another wave of bubbles and I popped a few.

"Char." Charmander snorted then looked away, unimpressed. Gary also had a Nidorino, which I uploaded into my Pokédex. He's the evolved form of a male Nidoran and if I was right, he would later evolve into a Nidoking.

There was also a Rattata, a Spearow, a Pinsir and finally a Horsea. The little water Pokémon looked up at me. "Sea?" It squeaked softly and instantly my eyes sparkled.

"Oh it's so adorable! Can I hold it?" Gary smirked then nodded his head.

"Be my guest. I caught Horsea with a fishing rod. You should get one, they're great for getting additional Pokémon who won't turn up on land, though this was a pretty impressive find. Technically Horsea are only found out at sea but this one must have been abandoned by a previous trainer to be so far inland." I ignored him, however, as my arms were now holding the cutest Pokémon I have ever seen, smiling and tickling its belly which made it trill happily. "Sea! Sea! Horsea!"

Charmander watched the interaction with a frown before snorting out a flame and turning its back. "Sir…Pinsir…" The Pinsir inched closer and I beamed at the Pokémon.

"Hi! I'm Ruby. It's nice to meet you all. This is Pidgey and Charmander, my own Pokémon." I introduced them, trying my best to ignore Gary completely, which honestly wasn't all that difficult.

"Nido!" Nidoran puffed out his chest then crawled under the table to rub my legs, making my giggle.

"That tickles!" Rattata bounded across the table and sat before me, its nose twitching before it smiled broadly, closing its eyes.

"Rattata!" It jumped onto my shoulder then sat down there, nuzzling into my hair and I giggled further, turning my head into him to stop his whiskers from tickling my neck. Gary watched me interact with his Pokémon in silence, leaning back to observe. My Pidgey and his Spearow didn't hit it off well, they clicked their beaks and spread their wings threateningly at one another but I quickly whistled, getting both their attention.

"We'll have none of that in here, thank you very much." I informed them both sternly. "We're in a public place so I want you on your best behaviour, especially you Pidgey, you need to set an example." Pidgey puffed up her chest then drew herself up proudly.

"Pidgey." She agreed firmly. I looked to Charmander who was sitting on his own at the end of the table with his back to everyone.

"Hey…Charamnder, why don't you come and meet everyone?" I invited him but he ignored me. "Charmander?"

"You still having problems with that Charmander?" Gary questioned, his smirk easing off his face as he simply looked at Charmander with what seemed like sympathy. "That's too bad."

"He wants to go home." I sighed, stroking Rattata as I set Horsea in a pool of water to have a splash around. "Professor Oak told me he was found on Cinnabar Island so that's where I'm taking him so I can set him free." Gary looked at me with surprise and I hung my head. "I must really suck as a trainer if he doesn't even want to stay with me." There was a little silence before I suddenly felt the Pokémon all move closer to me, cooing sadly and trying to comfort me. Pidgey landed on the opposite shoulder that Rattata sat on and they both nuzzled into me. "Thanks guys."

"It's not necessarily you as a trainer that's the problem." Gary said to me. "My grandpa told me once that sometimes Pokémon are just not meant to be with people, so it's not your fault." I looked at him curiously. Why was he being so nice all of a sudden? I've known Gary for a long time and have only ever seen him be a mean bully.

However I had no time to answer as a wave of waitresses came to our table and began to set food down on the table and floor, letting our Pokémon mingle and munch happily together. I stared at all the food, some of it things I had never even seen or smelt before. "Uh…I can't afford to pay for all this." I gushed, looking to Gary who was already tucking in. "It's way too expensive!"

"Just eat, you look starving." My belly rumbled in agreement so I slowly began to pick and nibble at things, glancing around nervously before giving into my hunger and diving straight in. Charmander wasn't eating still, so I swallowed my mouthful of pizza then took a burger, removed the salad then shifted closer to him.

"Hey, Charmander, look what I have." I tempted, waving the smell towards him. Charmander sniffed, opening his eyes and turning his head slightly.

"Char?"

"Uh huh, would you like it? There's plenty more but you'll have to come and get them." I smiled. "Come on, I know you're hungry." Charmander looked at the burger then back at me before turning around and grunting. "Char." Shoulders sagging I sighed.

"Okay, I'll leave it here then, in case you change your mind." I set it down then shifted away again, looking to the Rattata who squeaked softly then licked my fingers, making me smile weakly.

"In any case, you've done a great job with your Pidgey. It looks pretty strong." Gary observed, trying to pick up the mood. "I bet it'll evolve soon."

"Oh no, I don't think so. Pidgey has been with us for years and has never evolved. I don't think she wants to." I reached out and stroked her feathery head. "And if she doesn't want to then I won't make her."

"She'll only become stronger if you let her evolve. Like my Pokémon, I'm working on gaining them experience so they can evolve as quickly as possible." I rolled my eyes.

"Training Pokémon isn't all about evolving, it's about learning to understand the way they think and feel, that way you can become more tuned when in the middle of a battle. Strong bonds are necessary to make a strong trainer and Pokémon." This time is was Gary who rolled his eyes.

"I don't have time to work on bonding, we are a dedicated team and we take our training very seriously. Isn't that right guys?" All his Pokémon all stopped eating and nodded their heads affirmatively. "You see? They're all happy." I gave a short sigh.

"I suppose that's all that really matters." Tucking into some more food I was practically full when everything was cleared away, only to be further tempted with deserts. There was no way I could pay the bill now. I hope Gary intended to go halves with me.

"You know, we never used to talk in school." Gary noted to me and I laughed.

"That's because I used to think you were an arrogant jerk." I retorted simply then smirked as he had the decency to look slightly embarrassed for a moment before his smirk returned.

"What's changed your mind now then?" I waved a hand as I shrugged.

"Oh nothing really, these days I think you're just an insufferable jerk as well as arrogant." Gary rolled his eyes, shooting me a sour, irritated look before scooping up some ice cream from his multi-flavoured sundae. There was chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, mint chocolate, toffee, raspberry and several other flavours that all looked delicious.

I pulled towards me the chocolate fudge cake with gooey sauce, one of my favourites. "Here, try this one. It's one of my favourites." Gary said to me suddenly then scooped up a particular flavoured part of his sundae then held it out to me. I blinked at him. What was he doing? Why was he being suspiciously nice to me?

"Are you after something?" I asked him cautiously. "Some sort of information that you think that only I have or are you planning something?" He laughed. Strangely, it wasn't his usual mocking laughter but a nice, ringing sound which made some of the younger ladies in the room swoon.

"No, just try it." He invited again then gestured with the spoon so I slowly inched closer, watching him continuously to make sure he didn't do anything to humiliate me. I tasted the ice cream, taking it from the spoon then pondered on the flavour carefully. It tasted like blackberry cheesecake, it was delicious!

"It's nice." I told him. "Thank you." He nodded his head with an unreadable expression then continued to eat.

"Char." I looked up with surprise to see Charmander standing on the table, carefully watching my chocolate cake with interest, especially the sticky fudge sauce. "Charmander." He licked his lips then noticed I was looking. He made to spun around and face his back to me but I spoke quickly.

"Would you like some? I'm more than happy to share if you like." I said to him and he paused then watched as I scooped a large portion onto my spoon then offered it to him, cupping my hand underneath to catch any drizzling sauce.

Charmander sniffed it curiously, glanced at me then licked it carefully. His eyes bulged and his eyes shone as he gasped then quickly ate the rest of it. I had to rescue the spoon from his mouth before he could swallow it. "Char! Char!"

"You like that? It's one of my favourites too. Here, have some more." I went to cut another piece off for him when I felt his head smash into my side. "Hey! What have I told you about ramming me! It hurts!" I yelped at him as he picked up the plate.

"Char." He snorted, stuck out his tongue then licked up the sauce, his tongue slathering the cake which he left, obviously not wanting that part.

"Oh great. Thanks a lot." I muttered under my breath, rubbing my arm where I had been hit by that greedy little Pokémon. I think another one to one talk was due.

"Hey, are you okay?" Gary asked me with concern, up on his feet and already moving towards me. "Here, let me help you."

"I'm fine." I grumbled but he'd already taken my hands and was pulling me up to my feet. Behind me I felt several heads push against my back and legs and I looked to see Nidoran, Pinsir and Rattata helping me to stand whilst Squirtle was facing Charmander and giving him a good telling off.

"Squirt, Squirt, Squirtle. Squirtle-Squirt, Squirtle!" Charmander growled then snorted, rolling his eyes then turned around. His tail whipped out and smacked Squirtle across the face, making him yelp. "Squirtle!"

"Hey!" Both Gary and I called out and I blinked when I realised he was still holding my hands. Blushing with humiliation I pulled away then grabbed Charmander as Squirtle tried to Skull Bash him. "Say you're sorry to Squirtle or we're leaving this instant!" I snapped to the Pokémon who shook his head then looked away. What am I going to do with this Pokémon? "There was no need to be so rude and unkind, you have a lot to learn about manners, mister and I sure am going to give you a lesson or two. Now, if you want to go home then you had better start treating both me, other Pokémon and people with more respect, or you can make your own way home!" Charmander gasped then looked at me in shock, whining in a pitiful voice.

"Chaaaar!"

"Yeah, good luck crossing the ocean on your own. Now, are you going to say that you're sorry?" Looking down sullenly Charmander nodded so I put him down on the table then turned him around. "Right, now shoot." Charmander looked up at Squirtle who was glaring at him, arms folded and foot tapping on the surface and I noticed how similarly he stood and looked to Gary, who was doing practically the same thing.

"Charmander…" Charmander apologised so Squirtle sniffed.

"Squirt." It nodded its head in acceptance. Deciding that Charmander needed some time out, I returned him to his Pokéball.

"I'm so sorry." I gushed to Gary. "I just can't control him." With a sad sigh I looked away and turned around. "Maybe I should never have left home."

"It's okay, you disciplined him pretty well in any case. Come on, there's still all this food to be eaten and I can't eat it all on my own." Gary said, sitting back down with Squirtle in his arms who he set on his lap.

"Why are you being so nice?" I asked him with a frown, placing a hand on my hip as Pidgey swooped forwards then settled on my shoulder. "You're mean to Ash, always putting him down, you always used to ignore me ever since preschool and you gloat about every tiny victory you ever had, so why this sudden change?" Gary smirked.

"Maybe I like to be unpredictable." He inclined his head to the seat beside him. "Sit down, relax, live a little."

"Nidoran!" Someone agreed then butt into my legs, causing me to stumble a step forwards and I looked to Nidoran who smiled cheesily up at me before sitting down to take a nap, Rattata bounding over to curl up next to him and have a snooze also.

"Okay." I decided. "Just a few minutes." Sitting down I went to reach out for a plate of biscuits when Gary pushed his massive sundae to sit between us then handed me a spoon.

"Come on, I'll fight you for the best bits at the bottom." I blinked at him then grinned.

"You're on!" So we shovelled the ice cream into our mouths, trying our best to hide the brain freeze so we could reach the treats at the bottom like gummy sweets, chocolate pieces and I was surprised to even found some popping candy too, making me giggle as it suddenly crackled in my mouth. "So where're your fan club?" He grinned at me.

"You're still welcome to join." He told me so I arched an unimpressed eyebrow at him. "They're out shopping, I think, or doing whatever they do. Just don't tell them about this date, you'll end up breaking a few hearts." He told me and I dropped my spoon.

"This is not a date!" He laughed.

"Looks like one to me. Fancy restaurant, private booth, sharing ice cream…" With horror I realised he was right. Blushing furiously I turned my head away.

"Still, it isn't a date. We just happened to uh…bump into one another." I turned back to him. "So there." He smirked then gave a shrug.

"Whatever." We finished the ice cream with full bellies. I personally felt like I was going to burst. Our Pokémon were all napping, their soft snores rumbling and I chuckled, looking to Pidgey and Spearow who were nestled down happily together, their heads resting on one another's necks. "Perhaps I'd better take them all back to the hotel. We're pretty beat." Gary mused so I sighed and nodded.

"Sure. Thanks for the company. You weren't as bad as I thought you would be, though I'm still not convinced you're not a jerk." I shot at him as I went over to Pidgey and gently woke her up.

"Pidgey?" She fluffed up her feathers slightly then looked at me.

"Time to go I'm afraid. Don't worry, you can have a nice long rest and I won't disturb you until tomorrow." I promised her, lifting my Pokéball then let her return but only after she had said goodbye to Spearow, who clicked his beak then rubbed heads. They're so cute, I almost didn't want to break them apart but Pidgey looked more than happy to return to her comfy Pokéball.

"Thank you for dining with us, I hope you come again! This is the bill for both your previous meal and your ever so lucky dine in with Mr Oak here." The waitress trilled to us then presented me with the bill. My eyes practically burst out my skull at the price.

"Wha…?" But then it was plucked out of my hand and Gary handed over the money in cash. Who in the world had that much cash on them in paper? Just…how?

"It's alright, it's on me." He said to no one in particular as he began to summon back his Pokémon, though they all ran to me first and nuzzled against me to say goodbye.

"But…oh! Bye all, I hope I see you again soon." I told them, rubbing their heads as one by one, they were summoned back.

"Squirtle." Squirtle called then sent me a gift of hundreds of bubbles, making me giggle.

"Thank you Squirtle, they're really pretty." I told him and he nodded his head with a proud look on his face before Gary returned him to the Pokéball.

"Sea! Sea! Horsea!"

"Aw, I didn't forget you!" I assured her, stooping down and picked her up. "You take care now, don't let all those other big guys scare you, you're just as strong as any of them." Tickling her belly I then set her down as she trilled with happiness until she was also returned to her Pokéball. "Gary I can't let you pay for all the bill, it's not fair. It's way too much." I tried to tell him but he merely shrugged, arms folded across his chest.

"Don't sweat it. I can afford a little luxury." He answered then nodded to me. "Good luck with your gym battle tomorrow. If I'm around I might come and watch you." I stared at him. Watch me? He can't come and watch my first gym battle! What if I massively screw up? "But hey, depends how busy I am. See you around Rubes." I glared at him.

"It's Ruby." I corrected him haughtily then blinked, remembering that he had just bought my dinner for me. "But thanks for the food."

"Sure, whatever." He paused in his exit to turn a dark smirk back on me. "Rubes." I growled after him, clenching my fist. No one called me Rubes except for my parents. Why did it agitate me so much when he took the liberty of nicknaming me? Sheesh, I think I seriously need a good night's rest.


	8. Chapter 8

**Thanks for being patient with me guys, and thanks for stopping by to read this story, you're all amazing!**

 **Question for you all: What other Pokémon would you like to see Ruby catch in this arc? Let me know and I might possibly put them in!**

* * *

Taking in a deep breath I stood outside the Pewter City Gym, readying myself for my first attempt at a badge, the Boulder Badge. Well, here goes. Almost every beginner trainer started their badge hunt in Pewter because the gym leader had to have a certain level Pokémon to make it possible for any trainer to obtain a badge and the same went for all other gyms.

I was hoping that Pidgey's high level of experience would be enough to land critical hits but if all else failed, I could always try and see if Charmander was in an obliging mood. Probably not after last night. Still, although rock type Pokémon were pretty resistant to fire attacks, it might just be enough to get through. If not then I'll go and find a water Pokémon or a grass type Pokémon that will be better matched against him.

"Okay guys, here we go." I murmured then entered the gym, pushing one of the double doors open then slipped inside. "Uh…hello? Excuse me?" I called out into the darkness. "Is anyone there?"

"Who are you, little girl?" A voice called out and I jumped slightly as I continued inside, starting around until a light fell on a guy sitting at the back of the gym. It was strange, he didn't seem much older than I was, not a towering hulk of muscle that I had imagined him to be.

"I…I'm Ruby and I would like to challenge you for a Boulder Badge, if I may." I stuttered, trembling slightly. He stood up, looking at me carefully.

"You seem nervous, is this your first gym battle?" I nodded my head, blushing deeply.

"Well, yes actually. It is." I admitted but then clenched my fists. "But I'm going to do my best to beat you, you'll see!" He chuckled smoothly then nodded his head.

"I accept your challenge. This will be a battle with two Pokémon each without a time limit. Shall we proceed?" I nodded my head affirmatively then looked around, trying to spot where I needed to stand. "I'd step back if I were you." Brock, the gym leader, clapped his hands and the gym flooded with light and doors slid upwards either side of me and a new specialised rock flooring moved out.

"Wow!" I gasped then hurriedly moved out the way, retreating back until I was standing in the rectangle that I was to remain in throughout the battle.

"Call your first Pokémon. Geodude! I choose you!" Brock yelled and flung his Pokéball forwards, letting out his first Pokémon. I swallowed nervously.

"A Geodude?"

"Geodude, the Rock Pokémon. Geodude has incredibly high defensive power, making it virtually resistant to any physical attacks." Dexter supplied to me so I bit my lip then nodded.

"Okay, Pidgey! I choose you!" I called then let Pidgey fly out of her Pokéball with a confident and eager call.

"Pidgey!" Brock arched an eyebrow curiously.

"You do know that flying type Pokémon are weak against rock, don't you?" I nodded my head and rubbed the back of my head with a nervous laugh.

"I'm kind of hoping that my Pidgey's bond with me will help us out." Brick inhaled then sighed, muttered something under his breath then looked at Geodude.

"Geodude, use Rock Throw!" Geodude slammed his fists together then moved over to some rocks, ready to smash them up and throw them.

"Geo, Geodude!" I looked to Pidgey who was calmly watching me, ready for my instruction.

"Alright Pidgey, I want you to use fly up and avoid those rocks, go!" Pidgey nodded her head then soared up into the sky just as Geodude began to throw the rocks. Pidgey's small body easily manoeuvred out of the way and I smiled. "Alright! Now let's turn up the heat, use Sand-Attack to throw off Geodude's accuracy!"

"Geodude, use Rock Polish." Brock answered. "Then use Tackle attack!" Geodude's body glowed with a light sheen before he dived straight for Pidgey, who had landed on the ground and began to kick up sand. Geodude went straight into the thick of it.

"Okay, now position yourself where he can see you Pidgey! We're going to use his strength against him!" I called out, cupping my hands over my mouth and Pidgey instantly flew forwards with a calm call.

"Pidgey…" Geodude turned in confusion amongst the sand, searching until his eyes found Pidgey.

"Tackle!" Brock yelled and Geodude dove forwards.

"Wait for it…" I ordered, watching carefully then after a brief hesitation, I shouted out. "Now move!" Pidgey darted out the way with all speed and the gust from her wings cleared away the sand and I watched as Geodude slammed into a rock, dizzying it so it dropped down and groaned.

"Pidgey!" My Pokémon called out victoriously and I laughed.

"Nice moving Pidgey, okay, let's wrap this up!"

"Geodude, can you still battle?" I paused, allowing Brock time to assess the fighting ability of his Pokémon. Geodude groaned then began to get up, shaking itself awake before glaring at Pidgey. "Good work, now, use Rock Throw!"

"Dodge those rocks and use Twister!" I ordered, clenching my fists as my entire body tensed with anticipation, watching the fight unfold. Pidgey dodged the rocks easily then cooked up a twister around Geodude who was hardly affected, his heavy weight grounding him to the spot so I quickly thought up another idea. "Listen up Pidgey, I want you to grab hold of Geodude and try to move him in the Twister, use the momentum to then fling him against the rocks again!"

Pidgey dove for Geodude and before Brock could give a command, had snagged one of his arms and was flying with all her might trying to move him but he was just too heavy. Oh no…what now? "Geodude, use Seismic Toss!"

"Pidgey!" I yelled in fear as Pidgey was grabbed by the talons then flung upwards, Geodude following suit before being buried into the ground. "Pidgey! Are you alright? Talk to me Pidgey!" Pidgey twitched on the ground, laying there whilst cooing weakly.

"Pi…Pi…dgey…" This is all my fault! I shouldn't have tried to take Brock on whilst having such a disadvantage! Huh? Wait a moment, what's that? Pidgey's body began to glow brightly, the silvery white sheen enveloping her body and I stared. Pidgey is evolving?

She got up and stretched her wings which began to grow, as did her body. When the light disappeared she called out with a trill, flapping her wings so that two booms of air burst downwards as her beautiful feathers gleamed. The red ones on her head curved back, matching the few on her tail as well as the yellow ones and I stared. "Pidg…Pidgeotto?"

"Pidgeo!" She nodded her head then began to form a Twister again. I watched as the entire room filled with circling air, forcing me to shield my eyes and I managed to look up briefly to see Brock calling out but the wind snatched away his words, rendering any command useless. Pidgeotto grabbed onto Geodude then lifted him up a little more easily, though her wings beat hard to gain the lift she needed.

"Geo!" Geodude called out as he was lifted up then began to be swung around in the Twister, bits of debris rock also rising up but Pidgeotto dodged them easily, eyes narrowed against the wind and I watched as she then flung Geodude forwards and his solid body smashed completely through the rocks, knocking him out of the battle as he fainted from exhaustion and from the hit he had just taken.

"Geodude, return!" Brock called the moment the air had died down. I stared at Pidgeotto as she landed in front of me, a little bigger than I was used to.

"Pidgeotto!" She cheered happily then looked at me.

"You…you evolved…" I breathed then burst into smiles. "You evolved! Oh Pidgeotto, you look beautiful!" I flung my arms around her neck then smiled. "I'm so proud of you, you're the best ever." Pidgeotto rubbed her head against mine before fluttering back, turning to face Brock once more.

"Very good technique. Let's up the game, this next Pokémon won't be so easy to lift! Go Onix!" An Onix? This was not good. Sure enough, a rock snake Pokémon emerged from the Pokéball and growled down at Pidgeotto, who narrowed her eyes and took off, flying up high so that it was face to face with the massive Pokémon.

"Okay Pidgeotto, we totally got this." I called to her confidently. "Fly low to the ground, make your flight pattern unpredictable so that it can't keep up with you!" Pidgeotto instantly obeyed, flying low to the ground as I waited for Brock to do what I hoped he would do.

"Use Tackle! Swipe that bird out of the air!" Watching as Onix reared back, I waited until he was diving his head down before shouting.

"When his head strikes ground, use Sand-Attack! Cloud his vision!" I yelled and Pidgeotto called back to assure me she had heard. Onix's powerful head slammed into the ground, creating a large crater but before he could bring his body and head back, Pidgeotto kicked up a sandstorm and flung sand into his eyes.

Onix wailed, whipping its head from side to side as the sand stung him. "Now use Gust! Put all the power you can muster into it! Go Pidgeotto!" A large gale of wind burst into life, slamming into Onix who was knocked off balance and hit the ground, weakening it slightly but then its powerful tail whipped out and knocked Pidgeotto out of the air.

"Pidgeo!" It cried as it tumbled, flapping its wings to try and get back into the hair again.

"Pidgeotto!" I cried out as she struck the floor.

"Quick Onix, use Tackle again!" Brock called and before I could do anything, Pidgeotto was rammed into by a towering rock monster and the last of her strength was knocked from her. Looking away I lifted her Pokéball.

"Pidgeotto return now, I'm very proud of you." I said to her then pulled out Charmander. This was not going to end well for me. "Okay Charmander, let's give this a go." I let him out and instantly, he turned and blew a small burst of flames at my feet, making me leap up into the air to avoid them. "Yowh! That's hot!" I glared at him. "Okay, see that big rock snake over there? He's going to crush you unless you do exactly as I say, got it?"

"Char!" Charmander flailed his arms then turned around, hissing slightly at Onix who looked a little beat up. All I needed was to land several good hits and it'll all be over. Shaking my head I furrowed my brow in concentration.

"Okay Charmander, let's start with Growl!" Charmander yawned then stractched his head, ignoring my command. Instantly I slapped a hand to my face. "Why do I even bother?"

"Onix, use Bind!" Oh no! If Charmander is caught in Onix's Bind, we'll be done for.

"Charmander, wake up and move!" I yelled and Charmander blinked, opening his eyes to see Onix whip out his tail and wrap it around him. "Jump!" Charmander jumped up into the air and landed on Onix's tail, growling slightly. "Run up his tail!" Charmander instead shot out a loud Growl, causing Onix to flinch away from him. "Oh, so now you use Growl?" I sassed at Charmander who gave me a smug look.

Onix began to slither and snake, trying to shake Charmander off. "Onix, roll over to get that Charmander off you then use Rock Smash!" Brock called so I countered his plan with one of my own.

"Hurry up and run Charmander! Get to his head then jump!" Charmander raced forwards, moving so that no matter how much Onix twisted, he always remained on top until finally, he reached the head. "Okay, now jump!" Charmander ignored this command, choosing another Growl instead. "No! No more Growls! Ugh, just listen to me!"

"Your Pokémon is out of control. You obviously haven't been raising it as well as your Pidgeotto." I shot Brock a blank expression.

"You think I don't know that?" I deadpanned before looking at Charmander, who was beginning to Scratch at Onix with all his might and it was making some effect as Onix flinched and began to stoop lower.

"Onix, use Rock Smash!" Brock called so I clenched my fist.

"Alright, barf up the biggest Ember you can muster! Torch that rock snake!" I bellowed out and Charmander thought for a moment, pondering over my command as Onix drew back his head and began to aim for some rocks to smash them into shards.

Finally Charmander deemed my order as good advice, so he leaped up into the air as Onix collided with the rocks, sucked in all the air he could then blew out a large burst of fire, which swallowed Onix up and made him rear back from the hit.

Charmander landed in front of me, back facing, then folded his arms. "Char." He nodded his head with satisfaction and I slapped my face again. This was not going well, he still won't listen! Onix shuddered then drew himself up, glaring down at Charmander. I bit my lip, he was still able to battle? Even after that Ember?

But then suddenly, Onix moaned and collapsed to the ground, making the entire ground shake as little flames danced on his body, signalling the burn. "Onix? Are you alright Onix?" Brock questioned with worry, racing forwards slightly then stopped. Onix lifted his head to try and get up but slumped again, unable to battle anymore. "It's okay Onix, you did great." Brock exhaled softly then returned his Pokémon.

"Good work Charmander, thank you for your help. Return now." I said to him quietly, summoning him back into his Pokéball then clipped it onto my belt. Brock was approaching me with a warm smile and I relaxed slightly.

"A good battle. You have talent, Ruby. Here, this is yours." He held out his hand and in the centre of his palm sat a grey octagonal badge, the Boulder Badge!

"Thank you!" I beamed, taking it from him then admired it silently, turning it so that the light shone off its surface. Looking down to my belt I smiled to my Pokémon. "We did it guys and it's all thanks to you. I'll get you all healed up in no time, I promise." Unslinging my backpack I pinned the badge on then shouldered it once more. "Thanks again, I really had fun." I said to Brock who nodded his head. "And I learned a lot about my Pokémon's limits, as well as my own."

"A battle is only worth something if you learn from it." He agreed. "Come on, we'll go to the Pokémon centre right now to heal our Pokémon, I'll walk you." I blushed slightly at his kindness.

"Thank you." So together we headed out of the gym and Brock locked it, putting a note up to say that the gym was closed for the time being. "You're very different from how I'd imagine a gym leader to be." I commented to him. "You're quite young to be a master."

"Oh I'm no master really." He chuckled. "I'm just good with Pokémon. In all honesty, I never wanted to be a Gym Leader, I prefer to raise and breed Pokémon. There's a lot to learn about Pokémon from observing how they grow and learning their likes and dislikes. However I have to stay here so I can look after my siblings. They're all younger than me and need someone to take care of them." I blinked at him.

"What about your parents?" He looked away instantly and I flinched. Perhaps I shouldn't have asked.

"My mom died a while ago because my dad left us to become a Pokémon Master. We haven't heard from him in a long time." Lowering my head I felt great sympathy for him.

"I'm sorry, that's awful." I said to him and for a while there was an awkward silence until I decided to change the atmosphere. "About my Charmander, I was wondering if you could help me." I began and Brock lifted his head with intrigue. "You see, he's only a baby really and he knows that he was taken from his nest which was on Cinnabar Island when he was only an egg, so he wants to go home and find his family and I've assured him that I'll take him there, but he still won't trust me and he doesn't even like me." I blurted, barely pausing for breath. "I've tried playing with him, giving him different foods to try and tempt him, talked with him, trained with him but nothing seems to work! I'm at my wits end because he hardly listens to me in battle and sometimes nearly costs us the fight. Well…you saw him! Is there anything I'm doing wrong?" I asked him and he thought for a moment, humming whilst rubbing his chin.

"It seems you're doing your best, of course playing with him is a good idea. You could try massaging him, if he'll let you. Helping him to relax when around you is key to boosting trainer and Pokémon relationships. If he learns to trust you then he'll come to like you. If you stop by my house, I'll make up some Pokémon food for him, he might like that more." Brock beamed proudly. "I make it myself specially for individual Pokémon."

"That would be great! I'd love to give it a go. I'll stop by your place after you close the gym tonight, is that okay?" I asked him and he nodded just as we entered the Pokémon Centre. Instantly his entire character changed. Brock ran a hand through his hair then put on a casual yet smouldering look on his face as he sidled up to the desk.

"Nurse Joy, you're looking very beautiful today though you look beautiful every day, so you'd think that your dazzling magnificence would have no effect on me by now, but no! Your radiance blinds me still and I cannot help but feel that you should join me for dinner tonight." Nurse Joy looked startled before she laughed.

"You know that I'm working late tonight, Brock, so unfortunately I'm going to have to refuse you. Again." I arched an eyebrow as Brock slapped his face then face palmed the floor, whimpering like it was the end of the world.

"Why must she always crush my heart?" Looking to Nurse Joy, who smiled at me.

"Does this happen often?" I asked and she laughed.

"Every day! Let me heal your Pokémon for you, it'll be done in a jiffy!" She held out a tray for me so I put my two Pokémon in the little holders as Brock lifted a hand and put his two Pokémon in the other though he was still crashed out on the floor.

"Uh…Brock? Do you need a hand?" I asked him but he shook his head which was still planted into the ground.

"No, I'm fine." He sobbed quietly before getting up, looking rather dejected though his face was dry, so I figured he was fine and probably used to the rejection. We waited around for our Pokémon to be healed before leaving together also, though Brock had to literally be dragged out by me as he clung to Nurse Joy's hands and declared his undying love for her.

"Wow, that's a show and a half, but I think the curtains have already closed mister." I told him with a frown as I pushed him out the Pokémon Centre with my hands anchored into his back, scooting him outside. Then I laughed. "I'm guessing you like her a lot. Still, I think you may have been a _little too_ upfront." Brock blushed then scratched the back of his head with a dry laugh.

"Yeah, I guess. I just can't help it! She's so pretty…" Giggling I shook my head.

"Well, you'd better give me your address so I can find your house later." I told him. "But I think you'll be challenging yourself with Charmander, he's tough to please."

"No problem! I enjoy a new challenge. Here, I'll write it down for you." Broke wrote down his address on a scrap of paper then handed it to me. "Stop by around six, I'll even make dinner."

"Thanks! That sounds great." I said to him. "Will your little brothers and sisters be there? Do I get to meet them?" He laughed then nodded his head.

"You'll be hard pressed not to meet them. I'll see you later Ruby. Whilst you're here, you should check out the Pewter City Museum, it's got all kinds of information on ancient Pokémon and fossils. It's quite interesting for new trainers such as yourself." He suggested and I instantly perked at the idea. I love museums!

"Sure! That'd be great. Thanks for telling me." I waved then set out to find the museum, which wasn't difficult as it was sign posted so I just followed the directions. I didn't get very far, however, when I heard a snide voice make a comment at me.

"So, you got your first badge. I suppose I should congratulate you." Gary mused and I turned, blinking when I noticed him leaning coolly against his red sports car with his gang of cheerleaders all giggling at him.

"Yeah, I won the match." I answered, instantly putting myself on guard.

"I wouldn't really call it a match, I saw you just now flirting with that Brock, maybe you just asked for one, fluttered your lashes then begged a little more." My temper flared and I growled at him.

"We were not flirting! I won my Boulder Badge fair and square you little loser!" Instantly the girls all gasped in shock.

"Gary is no loser, you take that back you little squirt!" One of them shouted and the others all cheered in agreement.

"Gary, Gary he's the best! He's the one who'll beat the rest!" Oh please, this is just sad. I pity those poor girls for having so little brain.

"We were watching you just now, weren't we girls? You're going to have dinner with him and he even gave you his number. How sweet, a kindling romance." Gary said sourly then stood up straight. "Looks like you just leech off everyone you meet, Rubes, perhaps you're not cut out to be a trainer after all." I stared at him in shock as he got into his car. "Oh, and by the way, you're lagging behind. I've got two badges now, that other kid Victor has two as well and you still only have one. Better get a move on and catch some Pokémon, because that little lizard isn't going to help you get the Cascade Badge." His car roared forwards then spun around to pull up beside me. "If you can even control it, that is."

"You're such a mean jerk, Gary! I hate you!" I yelled then stormed away as he drove in the other direction. Tears rose to my eyes at his harsh words but I angrily held them back, not wanting to appear weak. It wasn't a date or anything, Brock was just trying to help me out. Besides, if Gary had seen my fight with Brock then he'd be eating his words! Our battle was intense and only a skilled trainer could have won it. Yeah, Gary was just a spiteful loser, he didn't have a clue what he was saying.

I arrived at the museum and instantly cleared my head, entering then walked over to the desk. "Just one, please. I'd like to look at the exhibits." I said to the ticket lady who beamed.

"That'll be fifty dollars please!" I paid over the money and she handed me a ticket. "Please enjoy your time here at Pewter City Museum!" I nodded my head, still a little put out then went over to the fossil cabinet to look at all the fossils. There were two specific ones that stood out, called the Helix Fossil and the Dome Fossil which apparently, when revived, would become an Omanyte and Kabuto. I scanned their information and read the boards which told me all about them before moving on. It was all extremely interesting and the concentration it required allowed me to forget all about that idiot Gary so that I could study properly.

There was more than enough information to keep me occupied for several hours. Most people came in, had a glance around then left in about an hour but I just kept on reading, stopping to look through every book they had that contained details about Pokémon.

"Young lady, you seem very interested in historic Pokémon." A voice said to me and I blinked and looked up, only just noticing that I was the only person still in the Museum. I looked up at the scientist who smiled at me. "You've been in here for nearly four hours."

"Oh! My goodness, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be a nuisance." I told him with a blush, leaping up and quickly putting the book back. "I'll leave now if that's what you want." Instantly he waved his hands in front of me, stopping me from going anywhere.

"No, no, no! You misunderstand, I'm very glad that you take such an avid interest. Unlike most trainers, you seem to have a genuine curiosity whereas most just come to see the fossils, learn what Pokémon they can revive then go out to look for fossils of their own." The scientist looked at me for a moment, musing as he stroked his wispy beard before smiling. "Yes, you'll do perfectly. Come with me!" He cried then grabbed my wrist to drag me forwards.

"Whoa! Where are we going?" He raced forwards at top speed then swiped his card key to let us through a locked door which then descended into the basement.

"We have a very special fossil that we want you to take to Cinnabar Island, where there is a Pokémon Lab which can revive the Pokémon. We have a theory of what Pokémon it could be but we need to have solid evidential proof. Will you take it for us? It's just we're so busy here, we can't leave our work!"

"Oh…well yes, I suppose I can." I agreed. "What is it?" I was shown through a door and before me stood a lab of some sorts, with several computers, piles of paper scattered around messily, a glass tube standing on a pedestal which then held a beautiful item inside, which looked like solid gold.

"This…this is Old Amber. We believe it is the fossilised DNA of an Aerodactyl, but we are not yet certain. If you take this to the Research Lab in Cinnabar Island then they'll revive it for you. Will you do it? We'll even give you this HM Flash for your trouble." He bundled the HM disk into my hand which I blinked at before looking at him.

"Well, I'm heading to Cinnabar Island anyway so sure, it shouldn't be a problem. I'll take it for you."

"Excellent!" He cheered then rushed forwards to retrieve the Old Amber. He brought it back and I put it into my bag at the side pocket where it would be safe then put my backpack on my shoulders again. "Thank you thank you thank you! This is going to be an amazing breakthrough, good luck trainer! Hurry along now, we need that information!"

"Sure, I'll get there as soon as I can." I assured him as he escorted me to the museum entrance. "But I'll have to make stops along the way to get my badges, so don't worry if there's a time gap between me getting to Cinnabar."

"No problem, no problem, just make sure you don't lose it!" He cheered happily then waved. "Goodbye now!" With that I was pushed out the museum then the doors slammed shut behind me. Blinking in a slight daze I checked the time then almost shrieked. I had ten minutes to get to Brock's house!

I ran all the way, gasping for breath as I counted the numbers on the houses until finally, I reached his house which was up on the hill. Legs aching I rang the doorbell then almost collapsed. I was only a few minutes late, I hope he wouldn't mind.

Suddenly the door was flung open and a hoard of children swept out. "She's here!" They all chorused then grabbed me by the arms and clustered around me, sweeping me inside.

"Wargh!" I yelped as they pushed me forwards by force.

"Brock! Brock she's here! The girl is here!" There was a laugh and I looked up, completely panicked as Brock stepped out of the kitchen wearing a cooking apron.

"Okay, let Ruby have some space to breathe. We don't want to scare her away now, do we?" Brock said to his little brothers and sisters who all instantly let go. They all beamed up at me and I could see the similarities between them. They all had the same expression, and spiked hair, even some of the girls.

"Hi!" I smiled to them all and waved. "I'm Ruby, it's nice to meet you all."

"Come play dollies with us!" One of the girls pleaded and grabbed my hand to pull but as I began to tilt towards her, one of the boys grabbed my other hand.

"No, play battles with us! You can pretend to be a Slowpoke and I'll be a Graveller!"

"No, she wants to come and play bricks, don't you Ruby?" One of the littler children asked with large, winsome eyes as he tugged on my shirt and I gulped. What should I do? I can't be in three, no, four, no…eleven different places at once! They were all asking me to play with them and I only had so many hands!

"Enough!" Brock yelled. "She can't play with all of you, you're going to have to wait your turns. That is if Ruby wants to play in the first place." He told them sternly so I took a deep breath then smiled.

"Of course I can play with you all, I know a great game we could all join in on. How does that sound?" A loud cheer roared in my ears and I blinked before reaching into my backpack and drawing out the tennis ball, tossing it up into the air then caught it again. "If we go out into the garden then I'll show you."

A stampede suddenly swept me out into the garden, practically carrying me and I laughed with them as I was then allowed to balance on my own two feet. "Okay, you ready?" I asked and watched as they all nodded eagerly. "Pidgeotto! I choose you!" I called and sent her out to play. "Okay Pidgeotto, its playtime! Catch!" I flung the ball as far as I could and Pidgeotto glided through the air.

"Pidgeotto!" She trilled then flew after the ball. Whilst the children were transfixed with my Pokémon, I picked up another ball that lay on the ground outside then launched it to them. "Catch it quick!" I called and they all jolted.

"I got it!"

"No, I got it!" And then a ball war erupted. The children all went about grabbing balls and we all played catch, Pidgeotto having the time of her life trying to catch as many as she could before they hit the ground. Sometimes she would let them fall a little too close to the ground and, just to show off a little, would catch them at the last second before enjoying the cheer that the children would award her.

"What about your other Pokémon?" One of the girls asked. "Won't they come play too?" I paused then made a slight face.

"Charmander isn't very reliable at the moment, I don't know if he'd hurt you by accident and he doesn't like to play." Her face fell with disappointment.

"You have a Charmander? Oh…I've always wanted to see one." I bit my lip then sighed. How could I refuse such an adorable face like that? Maybe just for a few minutes. What's the worst that could happen?

"Okay, Charmander, come on out!" I called then threw the Pokéball forwards, letting him have a breath of fresh air. Charmander turned around and instantly belched a puff of fire at me, causing me to yelp and leap out the way. "Hey watch it!"

"Ah! It's so cute!" She cried then flung her arms around him. "You're just the most adorable Pokémon I've ever seen!" Charmander growled and folded his arms across his chest, obviously displeased with being coddled by this child and I saw him begin to inhale a deep breath.

"Charmander!" I warned him, placing my hands on my hips. "Don't even think about it." He huffed then snorted, smoke spilling from his nostrils but I wagged a finger at him, keeping a close eye on what he was doing as the children began to crowd around and tickled or patting him.

He flinched every time a hand patted him a little too hard, continuing to growl and mutter with irritation under his breath. Pidgeotto flew to my side and I looked at her. "Think we should return him before he sets fire to the house?" I asked and she nodded her head.

"Pidgeo!"

"Right. Charmander, return!" The kids all pouted and moaned but I returned him regardless. I don't think he would have taken much more.

"Food's ready! Come and get it!" Brock called and instantly everyone's faces lit up and they raced inside.

"Yay! Dinner time!"

"Hey wait for me!" I called with a laugh then chased after them. I sat down at the table on the floor comfortably on my cushion after returning Pidgeotto to her ball. Wonderful smells wafted out of the kitchen and I licked my lips as Brock brought out a noodle soup that would rival all of my mom's cooking.

Using the chopsticks I dove in the moment a bowl was put in front of me and the kids all did the same. "Hey Ruby, you know we saw your fight today against our big brother? You looked really awesome!" One of the older boys said to me. "Your Pidgey evolved just for you, that's totally amazing!"

"Yeah! And then that Twister was strong enough to do damage to Geodude _and_ Onix, your Pokémon must be really, really strong to be able to do that." I blushed modestly.

"I didn't realise I had an audience, but thanks, I really appreciate your comments. I felt so nervous, to be honest, so I owe the victory completely to my Pokémon."

"Why wouldn't Charmander listen to you? He has no reason not to." One of the girls asked. "You look strong and your advise was also very clever." I gave a hopeless shrug and sigh.

"I don't know. I guess we just don't click. It's my fault, I'm obviously not the trainer he needs though I'm not giving up on him yet. I at least want us to be friends." Brock nodded his head.

"You take good care of your Pokémon and you obviously care about them a lot, with a few more tips and perhaps some different tactics, I think the main thing you need to help encourage your Charmander to trust you is time." It was probably true, maybe Charmander just needed more time to adjust.

"We also saw someone else up in the stands, he watched the entire fight." Another one of the boys piped up. "Though he told us not to tell you he was there." Then his face fell. "Oops!" He winced, giving a guilty face and I frowned.

"Who was it?" The children all looked to one another then nodded their heads.

"We don't know his name, but he drove up in a real nice sports car, a red one!" A girl exclaimed. "He was so dreamy…though he had a group of cheerleaders with him. They were annoying." She pouted and I yelped.

"Gary watched the battle! Oh great, that's just…wait a minute, he watched me fight?" If he'd watched the fight then why did he say all those things earlier? Was he just being spiteful? Threatened that I was beginning to show a little skill at this battling thing? Or…or was he jealous?

Nah, probably just threatened. Blinking myself awake I gave a weak laugh. "So, who here likes the noodle game?" Instantly I was met with a cheer and we all began racing to slurp up noodles as fast as we could, announcing ourselves the winner then friendly arguments erupted across the table.

After dinner the kids all got ready for bed and Brock took this time to show me how to massage Charmander the correct way. He was suspicious and wary of Brock at first and even slapped his hand away with his tail several times but once Brock got hold of his head and began to work in his fingers, Charmander blinked in surprise then relaxed. "Chaaaar…" He sighed then slumped down on the floor.

"You see? Now you try. Make sure that you work into his shoulders, belly and back too. Once you get a little closer you can even tickle him a few times. It always makes a Pokémon laugh which tightens its affection for you." He explained so I moved closer then took over, rubbing my fingers into Charmander's warm skin and I smiled as he continued to enjoy the treatment.

"Hey, it's working!" I beamed as I whispered quietly, not wanting to startle him. "Could I do this for Pidgeotto too?"

"Of course, just be careful to avoid her wings and tail feathers. If you ruffle them up then it could affect her flight." Nodding my head I watched as Brock then approached with some Pokémon food. "I've made a few samples, how about we try them out to see what he likes best?" Nodding my head I pulled my hands back then sat in front of Charmander.

"Hey, would you like to try some food? It's all good, Brock made it specially for you." I murmured and Charmander blinked before looking down to the tray of several samples Brock had cooked up for him. He reached forwards with his nose and sniffed, looking at them all before selecting one cube and bit into it.

"That one is spicy, most fire type Pokémon do prefer spicy food though sometimes it's not always the case." Brock said to me. Charmander then went on to try a sour sample then spat it back out with a hiss of distaste so I removed it.

"Okay, not that one. Try some more." We went through several flavours, nutrients and spices until Brock had a rough idea of Charmander's preferences.

"This shouldn't be too hard, it seems he's a big fan of chocolate." I looked to Charmander who had stuffed his face into the bowl of chocolate and was eating it all up with a happy expression.

"Yeah, he loves burgers as well." I added. "And the spicy sushi you get at the Pokémon friendly restaurant in town." Brock smiled.

"Yeah, that was my own recipe. If you can hang around for a while then I'll make a batch for both Charmander and Pidgeotto." I blinked at him.

"Don't you need Pidgeotto to sample things as well?" He smiled and shook his head in answer.

"No, I've done it loads of times before and it's a generalised recipe so she's bound to like it. If not then I'll…eat a rock." He laughed then went into the kitchen, leaving me alone with Charmander. I looked at him to find that he was watching me intently. "Hey there, how are you feeling?" He snorted slightly then turned his head. "Listen, I know you think that I'm the bad guy for being your trainer, but I'm really not like that. I will take you home I promise, but if we're both going to get to Cinnabar Island in one piece then we need to work together." Charmander slowly turned his head back around, signalling he was listening.

"I know you miss your family, but for now I'm the only thing you have and I want to take care of you. We could have fun! It's a big world out there, just imagine all the stories you could tell to your family when you finally get home, you'll have so much to tell them but if you keep on acting so stubborn and resentful, you'll only make yourself unhappy." Now he was turning to face me, tilting his head to the side slightly with curiosity. "So how about a truce?" I lifted my hand and held it out to him, waiting.

Charmander regarded it carefully for a while then nodded his head, reaching out and shaking my hand which made me beam. "Yay! Thank you Charmander!" I scooped him up into my arms and laughed, tickling his belly and he cooed, wriggling in my grip as he laughed.

"Char! Char! Char!" He kicked up his feet as I cuddled him, feeling ecstatically happy but that was quickly cut short when Charmander blew a short burst of flames at me, singing my hair and I froze. "Char." He snorted then leaped out my arms, brushing himself up.

"Right. Got it." I nodded then let him go for a rest in his Pokéball. Looking out the window I regarded the stars with quiet thoughts, wondering about the future and what it had in store for me. I guess I'll never know until I get there.


	9. Chapter 9

After saying goodbye to Brock I rested at the Pokémon centre then set out again though this time, I caught a bus to cut down on my journey time. This meant that I reached Cerulean City in three days, though every stop I made sure I added more Pokémon into my PokéDex.

I let out Pidgeotto to stretch her wings then let Charmander have a run around too. "Okay Pidgeotto, get ready to catch!" I called then flung the ball for her, which she caught easily. "Hmm, I'm going to have to think up a new strategy for you, this is way too easy for you now." Pidgeotto chirped at me then dropped the ball in my hand. I was about to fling it again when I felt someone tug at my shorts. "Huh?"

"Charmander!" He pointed to himself then to the ball and I stared at him. "You want to have a go?" I questioned and he nodded his head. "Char." He folded his arms across his chest then strode forwards proudly.

"Okay!" I smiled, overjoyed that he was willing to play. "You ready?" Charmanded nodded his head, sniffing slightly and turning up his nose but I ignored this. "Go get it!" I cheered then flung the ball forwards. Pidgeotto hung back, the both of us watching as Charmander watched the ball sail over his head then jumped.

"Char!" It ran forwards, waving its arms over its head as it rushed to catch the ball.

"Go on Charmander! You can do it!" I called and began to jog after him. Charmander held out his hands and watched the sky for the ball, still running forwards and wasn't looking where he was going. "Hey, watch out!" Too late. Charmander tripped over a stone and yelped as he crashed into the floor, knocking his chin as the ball landed a few feet in front of him then rolled away.

He blinked in shock then, all at once, began to cry. He wailed and the pitiful sound tugged at my heartstrings as tears poured down his face. "Oh it's okay, please don't cry!" I gasped as I ran to his side then scooped him up into my arms to cradle him as Pidgeotto grabbed the ball then landed in front of us.

Charmander continued to wail, kicking out like a little baby but I continued to cuddle him, carefully minding his tail as I rubbed his head the way Brock had showed me with one hand, the other curled underneath him. "There, there, you're alright. It was just a little bump." I assured him and he slowly calmed down, sniffing slightly as he looked up at me with watery eyes. "You see? Not a scratch. There's a brave Pokémon." I smiled down at him then stood up. "Come on, let's get going."

Charmander nodded his head then turned into me, his small body nestling neatly against me and I looked down at him with happy surprise as he nuzzled into my shoulder then closed his eyes, gripping onto my shirt as he recovered from the shock of falling over.

Proud of this achievement I marched on down the road, watching Pidgeotto as she glided overhead easily, keeping an eye on our surroundings for me as I continued to cuddle Charmander, savouring it whilst it lasted.

Sure enough a few minutes later, Charmander gave a low growl then jumped out of my arms, brushing himself off. "You know, how about we try that again?" I suggested, holding out my hand and smiling as Pidgeotto accurately dropped the tennis ball into my palm. "Only this time I won't throw it so far." Charmander shook his head.

"Char."

"You're not afraid, are you?" I tested, stepping back with a smirk as I struck his pride. Charmander growled at me then turned around to face me, leaning forwards and pushing his arms back to signal he was ready. Giving him a confident smile I tossed the ball forwards but aimed for him, so that Charmander only had to reach out and catch it. "Great! That was a perfect catch Charmander! See if you can throw it to Pidgeotto." I suggested so Charmander looked to Pidgeotto then tossed it up into the air.

He then turned and swiped the ball with his tail, shooting it up into the air and Pidgey dived to catch it before dropping it into my hands. "Awesome! Let's go again!" I cheered, bouncing around on my feet as I tossed the ball to Charmander, who then let it bump on his head to launch it back to me. I caught it with a quick snag of my fingers then flung it up in the air for Pidgeotto, who called out as she flew for it.

"Pidgeo!"

"Go Pidgeotto!" I laughed and Charmander smiled.

"Char! Char!" I looked at him and smiled, glad to see that he was enjoying himself. We raced one another down the path that led straight into Cerulean City and I pulled out their treat bags and tossed them the squares of Pokémon food specified for them. I tossed one to Charmander and he leaped up into the air and caught it in his mouth, chomping it down happily as I then threw one up for Pidgeotto.

"Okay guys, this is Cerulean City. You know, my mom told me they do shows here at the gym, how about we go and watch one?" Pidgeotto nodded her head in agreement, thinking it was a great idea.

"Pidgeo!"

"Charmander? What do you say?" Charmander snorted then shook his head.

"Char Charmander." He flicked out his tail and whacked me on the back of the leg, making me yelp.

"Ouch! Hey! We were doing so well." He shrugged then turned his back to me and I slumped. Oh man, I thought we were really getting somewhere with our relationship! "Okay then, you'd better return and rest in that case. We worked pretty hard today with all that catching." I returned him to his ball then headed towards the Pokémon Gym.

It was a large theatre place, with a massive Dewgong on the top greeting everyone with a toothy grin. "Well, here goes." I smiled to Pidgeotto who nodded her head then flew inside with me. We bought a ticket to see the show then followed the crowds inside to the stands.

Everyone was chattering with excitement, some of them holding onto their Pokémon so tightly that they almost made them faint. I looked to Pidgeotto then smiled, heading towards the back where she could perch on the railings to watch.

Once everyone was seated the lights cut out to end with darkness, only the luminous glow of the pool a source of light. "Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the Cerulean City Water Display! Brought to you from us, the three Sensational Sisters." A voice called out brightly and warmly. "We are…Daisy!" A bright beam of light shone to the right side of the pool onto a girl who lifted both hands and waved with a smile, standing at the edge of a diving board. "Lily!" This time the light shone to the left side and another girl appeared in a similar stance to her sister. "And finally, Violet! The greatest of them all!"

People chuckled and I smiled as the third sister appeared in the middle of the pool at the edge. "Please enjoy the show!" All at once they dove into the pool in perfect synchrony, curling up into a plank then diving into the water in unison.

A collective ooh came from the audience and I smiled as I watched them begin to dance with their Pokémon, gliding easily through the water. A hoard of Goldeen rose up into a ring around the three sisters as they danced then used Water Gun to make pretty streams of water which arched down again in a perfect pattern.

A Seel leaped out of the water and I giggled as it landed on an iceberg float then clapped its flippers and tail, causing the audience to giggle and some of the younger girls squealed at its cuteness. The lights in the pool began to change colour, lighting everything up with beautiful reflections on the ceiling as if an aurora borealis was alive within these walls.

It was a wonderful display and I was left with sparkles in my eyes as the three sisters accepted our applause, waving and smiling as their Pokémon continued to circle and dance with happiness. I got up and looked to Pidgeotto. "I'm guessing they're the gym leaders. How about we go introduce ourselves?" I suggested and Pidgeotto nodded her head.

I returned her to her ball then made my way down the stands, exiting the stadium then head out in search of a stage door or something. I walked through an aquarium and I stopped to admire all the water Pokémon, adding their details to my Pokédex before continuing on.

Eventually I found my way around and entered the door, though when I entered the stadium there was no one there. "Oh dear, I've missed them." I pouted with disappointment then looked to the water as I heard something splash. "Oh! Hello there." I smiled as the Seel poked its head up out of the water.

"Seel! Seel!" It greeted then swam closer as I knelt down at the edge of the pool. "Seel?"

"Do you know where the Gym Leaders are? I'd like to battle for the Cascade Badge." I said to him and he beamed up at me.

"Seel!" I giggled as he began to splash around, dancing for me and I reached out to tickle its chin, making it slap the water with its tail as it enjoyed my attention.

"Hey! Don't even think about snatching our Seel!" A voice shouted and I whipped around to see three sisters glaring at me, aiming their Pokéballs at me. Instantly I shook my hands.

"No! No I'm not going to steal him, I just wanted to say hello." I assured them as I stood up. "I actually came to challenge the Gym Leader for a Cascade Badge." They blinked then laughed guiltily at me.

"Sorry, we're super protective of our water Pokémon." The middle sister explained to me. "Didn't mean to startle you like that." I nodded my head with a smile.

"So, you want the Cascade badge? The one with blue hair questioned, Violet.

"That's right." I nodded my head. The one with pink hair, who was Lily, giggled then stepped forwards. "Then you'll be fighting against me. Although we're all Gym Leaders here, we don't make challengers fight all three of us." Relieved to hear it I smiled to her.

"Okay, I'm ready." I assured her so she gestured for me to walk towards the edge of the pool as she walked to the other. The two other sisters, Violet and Daisy, followed either one or the other then helped push our floats out onto the water.

"Don't worry if you can't beat me, I'm pretty strong." Lily said to me, striking a pose which flaunted her perfect body, making me feel like a plain blob compared to her. Is it legal to have that much confidence?

"I'll try not to cry." I answered simply then waited for the rules to be read out.

"This will be a two on two battle with no time limit." Violet called out to us with a grin. "You may begin. Go Lily!" Her sister smirked towards her then threw a Pokéball forwards.

"Goldeen, I choose you!" Nodding my head as the fish Pokémon was let out I selected my Pokémon.

"Go Pidgeotto!" Lily laughed.

"Don't think you have any advantage just because you have a Pokémon that can fly. Goldeen! Use Horn Attack!" Pidgeotto looked to me for direction so I clenched my fist.

"Use Gust once it's out of the water!" I yelled as Goldeen dived under. Pidgeotto called out in agreement then watched the water carefully as Goldeen prepared for her attack. The moment it sprang out of the water, head aimed directly for Pidgeotto, my Pokémon darted out the way then aimed a powerful Gust at it.

Goldeen was hit with the full force then was slammed back into the water where it fainted upon impact. "Nice hit Pidgeotto!" I cheered as Lily's face fell with a gasp.

"Goldeen! Hold on sweetie, I've got you." She returned her Pokémon then looked at me. "How…how did you do that?" She demanded to know and I gave a little shrug.

"Pidgeotto has a lot of experience, I've had her for a few years now though my dad did most of the training when we first got her. She's only just come on a journey with me so she's pretty powerful." Lily blinked then looked to her sisters.

"Don't give up Lily, you can do it!" Daisy cheered and Violet joined in, whistling and waving so Lily nodded her head.

"Okay, so you may have taken Goldeen out with one hit, but how will you manage something that's a little bigger and has more experience? Go Seaking!" A Seaking? What was that?

"Dexter?" I asked then scanned the large fish Pokémon as it appeared in the water with large, billowing fins and a horn on its head.

"Seaking, the Goldfish Pokémon. Seaking is the evolved form of Goldeen. Its sharp, drill-like horn is capable of crushing even stone." Thank you. So, basically just a stronger Goldeen. This shouldn't be too difficult.

"Alright Seaking, let's start off by knocking that Pidgeotto out of the sky. Use your Water Gun attack!"

"Dodge it Pidgeotto!" I yelled as Seaking directed its head upwards and shot a plume of projectile water at Pidgeotto. Her speed allowed her to escape it, but only just so I thought quickly. "Use Twisted on the water, catch that Seaking!" I directed so Pidgeotto moved down to start spiralling.

"Use Fury Attack!" Lily cried desperately as the water began to churn. Seaking struck out with a Fury Attack, jets of light shooting towards Pidgeotto and several of them struck him as she flew around and into its path.

"Pidgeotto! Keep going!" I called out, watching with wide eyes as the water continued to circle, creating a twister and whirlpool which Seaking got caught up in.

"Seaking!" It started in surprise at it was dragged by the current Pidgeotto had made, now unable to break free.

"Okay, now use Peck!" I commanded, throwing out a hand towards Seaking as Lily yelped.

"No! Seaking! Try and swim out of there!" Seaking tried to duck under the water but he couldn't move out from under the fast paced current. Pidgeotto dived down then slammed her beak into Seaking, causing sufficient damage as she rose up then dove again. "Seaking, use Supersonic!" Lily shouted out over the rush of wind.

"Quick Attack!" I redirected. Quick Attack always hit first, if Pidgeotto could land a critical hit then maybe we could take out Seaking before its own attack. Pidgeotto rushed down in a blur and struck against Seaking's side and he moaned wearily, landing on his side before going limp, no longer fighting against the current. "Okay Pidgeotto, that's enough! Blow out that Twister!" I commanded so Pidgeotto circled back around then flew right through the Twister, cutting it off effectively.

"Seaking…King…"

"Oh Seaking, you did your best and that's all I could ever ask of you. You were great." Lily told him as she returned him to his Pokéball. Then she faced me, arched her eyebrow with a disapproving look. Wait a second, I've just won the match! I get a Cascade Badge!

Suddenly all three sisters burst into applause, smiling brightly. "That was like, totally awesome!" Violet said to me.

"Yeah! You rocked. You deserve this badge, totally." Violet agreed, retrieving a Cascade Badge then offered to me after I had jumped from the float to the poolside. "That was really super what you did with that Twister, that's one special Pokémon."

"Thanks, I know." I agreed, stroking Pidgeotto's head as she chirped warmly at me. "I hope your Pokémon are okay?" I said to Lily who waved a hand.

"Don't worry, they'll be fine in no time. Though I'm super bummed, this is the third time we've lost in a row. Like, there were two other guys literally just here, like, one or two days ago. They seemed pretty strong too." Gary and Viktor. Well, at least I hope Ash is beginning to catch up.

"Gee I'm sorry, I hope I didn't put you out for your next show. You guys are great by the way, I came and watched you today." I said to them then smiled as Seel leaped out the water to come and meet me again. "I think Seel was my favourite! He's so adorable!"

"Yeah, he's super cute. He's like, our mascot. We never battle him but he's an asset for our shows." Violet answered me as she knelt down and picked Seel up into her arms as I accepted the Cascade Badge then pinned it to my backpack. "So you're going to need to go to Vermillion City for your next badge, but be super careful, cause like, Luitenant Surge is no pushover. He uses electric type Pokémon."

"Thanks, I'll be sure to train hard for my next badge." I assured them then smiled. "Thank you so much for this, I'll see you around!" They all waved and beamed at me as I headed out, Pidgeotto following my lead. The moment we were out of earshot, I leaped up into the air and squealed. "We did it! We totally rocked that battle!" I punched the air then took off at a run, all too eager to get moving again.

Already I've got two badges, that's only six more to go! I can totally do this, it's going to be a breeze!


	10. Chapter 10

Lost. I'm lost. Hopelessly and completely lost. Trudging through the bushes I groaned as I was once again scratched up by the sharp leaves. "Pidgeotto, you told me this would be a short cut!" I called out and she flew in front of me with a sour look.

"Pidgeo."

"Hey, don't give _me_ attitude, I was just following your directions! We've been out here for nearly two weeks!" I grumbled back, breaking free of the tangling bushes. "So where are we? There's no way this is still the route to Vermillion City." Looking up at the sky, which was growing dark, a drop of water fell on my face. "And it's starting to rain! Pidgeotto! You owe me big for this! Return!" I let her back into her Pokéball, I didn't want her to get a cold from the storm that was brewing.

My feet now firmly on a path I took off running, hoping that it would lead somewhere where there was warmth and food. Rain hammered against my face, stinging like Poison Jab but I strove forwards, hoping that someone would answer my prayers.

The darkness gathered and night swept over with the clouds thundering above. Quite a torrent, I was soaked to the bone and freezing. It was so dark and the rain so harsh that I could hardly see, so when I smacked into a large rock I wasn't at all surprised I didn't see it until my face was decorating its side. "Ugh…that hurt." I muttered then peeled myself off, rubbing my face.

A flash of light caught my eye so I looked up, squinting against the wind. "Huh?" Something was shivering under a leaf, curled up tight with its tail tip barely aglow. Oh my goodness…its…its…

"A Charmander!" I gasped then gripped onto the rock to climb up. "Hey little guy, what are you doing out here?" I asked, reaching out to rest my hand against its head.

"Char…" It whined so I scooped it up then tucked it under my jacket.

"It's okay, I'll find you some help real soon." I promised, jumping back down from the rock. "We'll fix you up and then everything will be okay." Narrowing my eyes and steeling my heart against the cold wind and biting rain, I took off at a run whilst holding the Charmander close to me. It was so weak that its tail didn't even burn or singe me. I was growing worried. Perhaps I should put it into a Pokéball to keep it better protected?

Just then, over the rise, I saw lights and a large 'P' stationed on the roof and my heart soared. "A Pokémon Centre!" I gasped, flicking my wet hair out of my face. "Look at that buddy! You're in luck today!" So hammering my feet against the ground I ran forwards then slid down the muddy bank, not caring how filthy I got. I had to get this Charmander to a Pokémon Centre.

At one point I slipped but I flung myself onto my side, protecting both the Charmander and my Pokéballs before staggering to my feet, winded, wet, and frozen solid. "Char…?"

"Just hold on, we're nearly there." I panted as I ran, watching as the centre grew larger and larger. Finally I burst through the doors and instantly fell to my knees, dripping wet and made several people gasp.

"Oh dear! Are you alright?" Nurse Joy asked and I looked up at her.

"Please, you have to help this Charmander! I found it abandoned on a rock and its flame is nearly out, help it!" I pleaded, unwrapping Charmander from under my jacket then climbed to my feet though I limped on my left leg, finding that I had twisted my ankle and winced.

"Of course, we'll see to it right away." She nodded her head then took the Charmander from me. I watched her take it away, praying that it'll be okay.

"Ruby?" A familiar voice questioned and I turned around.

"Ash! Ash it's good to see you." I smiled wearily, limping over to him and was surprised to find Misty and Brock there too. "Hey guys."

"You look terrible, oh you poor thing." Misty said then drew me to a seat to sit down. Then she turned a harsh glare to a guy at a different table who was collecting his many Pokéballs in an attempt to move away from everyone. "I can't believe he just left that Charmander." She growled and Brock cracked his knuckles.

"Yeah, he doesn't deserve to be a trainer." I blinked in shock.

"He's that Charmander's trainer? And he just _left_ him on that rock?" My anger burst free and I leaped up, ignoring the pain in my ankle as I strode over. "Hey! You horrible jerk, you owe that Charmander an apology! How dare you be so irresponsible?" I bellowed and everything else went silent as the trainer backtracked slightly but I bore down after him. "You, you complete lowlife, you don't deserve any of those poor Pokémon!"

"He was weak, he should have just died out in that rain. He's no good for anything." He snapped back, folding his arms across his chest and my anger burst free as my jaw dropped. My eyes blazed with fire and I clenched my jaw, balling my fist then took a large swing at the trainer, giving him a healthy right hook to the face which flung him off his feet and onto the floor.

"Take that you weakling!" I roared and several gasps echoed throughout the centre.

"Ruby!" Ash balked then stared at me. "Nice one." I shot him a smug look then turned back to the trainer.

"If you fail your responsibilities as a trainer then I have a right to report you! We'll see how the authorities admire your behaviour after I inform them of your stupid and mean treatment of that Pokémon!" He scrambled backwards, genuinely terrified as I loomed over him. "And if you dare treat another Pokémon that way, then I'll do the exact same thing to you!"

Suddenly one of my Pokéballs burst open and Charmander appeared, growling and snarling in rage at the trainer who shrieked. "ARGH! Get it away!" Charmander sucked in a deep breath and blew a small speck of flame at him, which dissolved before it could even reach him. The trainer then relaxed.

"Ha! Your Pokémon is just as weak as mine was!" In answer Charmander leaped forwards and scratched his face. His smug smirk dropped then he yelled in pain. "WARGH!"

"Guess Charmander doesn't like the way you treated one of his own either." I shot at him. "But you're wrong, my Charmander is very strong. If it wasn't for the rain and storm, he'd be frying your rear and eating you up for dinner." Charmander nodded his head in agreement.

"Char."

"Okay, perhaps we'd better cool this down." Misty muttered to me. "No fighting is allowed in the Pokémon Centre and I think your Charmander looks about ready to tear Damien apart." Looking at Charmander I realised he was right.

"No Charmander!" I lunged forwards and grabbed him, pulling him back but then a more powerful Ember engulfed me. My face fell as I deadpanned. "Thanks buddy." Charmander snorted then leaped out of my arms to growl at Damien again. "I'll let you go for now, but next time we meet, I'm going to pound your rear so hard, you'll never be able to sit on it again!" I threatened then placed both hands on my hips. "And I'm still going to report you."

"You…you can't do that!" Damien stared at me so I arched an eyebrow at him.

"Wanna bet?" He went to speak but one of his friends touched his shoulder.

"Later dude, this girl is crazy." Crazy? I am not crazy! I'm just right!

"Yeah. Fine." Damien shot me a look then retreated to his dorm room to get some sanctuary and peace. I glared after him, Charmander wearing a similar expression until finally, he disappeared.

"Jerk." I muttered under my breath then turned to face Charmander. "Normally I would tell you off for scratching someone like that, but in this case he totally deserved it, so I'm going to let you off just this once." I informed then picked up my Pokéball. "Now return." But when the red light shot out, Charmander leaped out the way.

"Char! Charmander!" He snapped at me, waving his arms then pointed to the doors where the other Charmander had been taken through. I blinked for a moment before realising what he wanted.

"Oh! You want to make sure he's okay?" Charmander nodded his head. "Well, I suppose that would be alright, but you'll have to wait for the check up to finish first." I informed him then looked at Misty as she put her arm around me.

"Come on, you need a nice hot shower, a change of clothes and some hot soup to try stop any colds from settling in over you." She told me kindly then led me up to the shower block where Charmander followed. I took a long, hot shower then changed into another light blue shirt and shorts, practically identical to what I'd been wearing before.

"So how did you know Damien had been the trainer to abandon Charmander?" I asked as we headed back downstairs.

"Well, we actually found Charmander earlier in the day." Misty admitted and I looked at her with surprise. "You see, Charmander told Pikachu who then told us that it was waiting for someone, its trainer, so we just let it alone. We got to the Pokémon Centre before the rain but when it began to really chuck it down, we became worried for it." I opened the door for Misty and she smiled at me before stepping through. "And then that trainer started bragging about how he'd left a Charmander on a rock because he thought it was too weak to be of any use so he abandoned it."

"Poor Charmander, I wonder what will happen to it now." I looked back to Charmander who growled under his breath, muttering angrily. "It's really riled up my Charmander, he won't even return to his Pokéball until he's satisfied the other Charmander is alright."

"It's so sad. Trainers abandon their Pokémon all the time yet there's no way of tracking them or even rescuing them because they're all over place, and then if they are found there's very few places they could go for protection. It's horrible." Both Misty and I shuddered.

"Oh! There you are, come on quickly, you can see the Charmander now." Nurse Joy called to us so we instantly hurried forwards, Charmander running on ahead. We were shown into the room where the abandoned Charmander lay curled up on the bed, its tail barely aglow.

"Will it survive?" Brock asked nervously and I looked away as tears came to my eyes. Poor Charmander, it was so loyal and this was how it was treated.

"Charmander is very weak." Nurse Joy answered as she listened to its heartbeat. "How could you let it get into this condition?" She demanded angrily and we all blinked at her.

"It's not our fault!" Ash quickly interjected. "Damien's the one who abandoned it." Nurse Joy's mouth fell open.

"What?" I laughed sardonically.

"Is that really surprising to you?" Looking down to my own Charmander he was jumping and trying to climb up onto the bed, waggling his feet quickly in the air to try and gain lift so I reached out and picked him up. "Here you go little buddy." I murmured softly then put him up on the bed with the other Charmander.

"Char." Charmander nodded to me so I smiled at his thanks then watched as he went over to sniff the other Charmander.

"Well, Damien promised Charmander that he'll come back for it. Charmander's loyal to Damien so it believed him!" Shaking my head I sighed, watching as Charmander nuzzled the other's head gently, murmuring with worry.

"Char? Charmander…"

"Poor Charmander, and Damien just left with the rest of them." Brock ran forwards to close the distance between him and Nurse Joy then clenched his fists desperately.

"Joy I'm begging you, please save it. Charmander has got to get better." I admired Brock's deep care for Pokémon and smiled to him as Joy nodded her head.

"I'll do whatever I can." She agreed then reached out to pick Charmander up but my Charmander hissed at her and swiped her hand away with his paw, standing protectively over the weaker Charmander. "Oh!"

"Charmander! You have to let Joy take care of this Pokémon or it'll die!" I pleaded with him but he snorted then moved his body around then looked behind him, directing his tail so that it rested alongside the other Charmander's. We watched in awe as Charmander then clenched his eyes tightly shut and suddenly, his tail burst into a larger flame, growing bigger as it connected with the flame on the other Charmander.

The weaker Charmander stirred and we all gasped as he opened his eyes briefly, looking up at Charmander who was reigniting his tail fire, growling under his breath as he did so. "Char…mander…?" It whined softly then fell asleep again.

Charmander opened his own eyes then looked down to the tails, taking his away to reveal a much brighter flame on the other Charmander. "Hey! You did it!" I beamed, eyes shining with pride as Charmander nodded his head smugly.

"Char!"

"Wow, he actually helped Charmander's tail flame by sharing some of its own!" Brock exclaimed. "I've never seen that before, do you think all Charmanders, Charmeleons and even all other Pokémon with fire tails do the same thing?" Nurse Joy tapped her cheek thoughtfully.

"It's possible. Fire Pokémon tend to live in hot places so they can keep warm and not be affected by any rain or cold weather. However when they're sick, perhaps the only way they can get better if another Pokémon shares its warm and fire with it to keep its health burning." She turned to Ash and me. "Perhaps you should ask Professor Oak, he might know a little more but if he doesn't, it'll be a great thing to research."

"I agree!" I nodded my head then looked at Charmander as he curled up with the abandoned Charmander, covering his body with his warmer one. Ash frowned.

"Ugh…how can we tell them apart?" I gave him a confused look.

"Can't you?" He shook his head so I sighed. "My Charmander has brown eyes whilst the other has blue and also, this Charmander has a darker shade of skin whilst mine is one or two shades lighter but there is also a difference in tail size. My Charmander has a longer tail but a shorter body so really, they're quite different and fairly easy to tell apart." I recited whilst holding up a finger then looked to everyone else who was frowning, looking at the two Pokémon.

"Oh! I see it!" Misty nodded her head and smiled. "You're right."

"I still don't see it." Ash frowned, scratching his head so I whacked him with the back of my hand. "Ow!"

"That's because you're being stupid." I scowled then looked to Nurse Joy. "I know it's not protocol, but if my Charmander could stay with this one during procedure and through the night then I think it could really help. Besides, he's not going to move for anything if he doesn't want to."

"No I agree, your Charmander can stay and help keep this poor Pokémon get better. Don't you worry, I'll take good care of them both." Nodding my head I leaned forwards and my Charmander looked up at me.

"Hey, you're going to go with Charmander now, but you need to let Nurse Joy do what she needs to do and not get in the way, the moment everything is over, you can snuggle back up with Charmander again and make sure he gets better, okay?"

"Char." He nodded his head then stood up, jumping onto the ground then followed Nurse Joy once she had gathered the other Charmander up. After that…well. It was just the waiting. We waited long into the night with the wind howling and hammering at the windows and doors, the rain spitting down on us as my heart hammered nervously. I had long since filed a complaint and Officer Jenny assured me that Damien wouldn't go free with this mistreatment.

Feeling sick with worry I picked Pikachu up then hugged him, nuzzling into his soft fur and he rubbed his face back with a comforting paw to my cheek. "Chuuuuu…" He tried to assure me so I smiled.

"Thanks Pikachu." I said to him then continued to hold him. We all paced outside the Emergency Room, glancing up to the red sign which was lit. Brock looked the most worried of us all but I guess because he was a Pokémon breeder, he cared deeply for the welfare of all Pokémon a little more seriously than we did because it was his passion. I just hope I see Damien again so I can give him an upper cut to finish what we started.

Finally the sign dropped its bright colour and pinged, making us all gasp and turn to face the door as Nurse Joy slipped out, her face sad and distraught. My heart plummeted and my eyes widened further until she smiled and held up two fingers to signal victory. Yes! Charmander was okay!

"Charmander is recovering. It should be fine by morning." She told us, letting us peek inside to see the Charmander asleep in a unit, my own Charmander protectively watching over him.

"Hey Charmander? Do you want to stay or come back with us?" I asked him in a whisper as not to disturb anything.

"Char." He said without looking at me so I smiled.

"Okay, you take good care of him now. I'll see you in the morning." Satisfied that everything was okay, we all headed back, got some spare blankets then crashed out in the Pokémon Centre lobby.


	11. Chapter 11

I was awoken by a slap to the face.

"ARGH!" I yelled then fell of the seat as Charmander leaped up on me.

"Char! Char Charmander! Charmander Char, Char!" He waved his arms up above his head as the others woke up at my yell.

"Charmander! What's wrong?" I asked, rubbing my face where I'd been slapped. "And how dare you slap me? That hurt!" I was seriously getting sick of this abuse. "Just a simple shake would have been fine."

"Charmander! Char! Char!" He yelled at me again and I frowned. Something was wrong, Charmander looked seriously worried.

"Wake up everybody!" Brock bellowed as he came running in.

"Pikachu?" Pikachu asked as he poked his head up to look at Brock, who was breathing heavily.

"What is it? What's the matter?" Misty asked as Ash groaned so I picked up my pillow and whacked his face with it.

"Wake up you snoozer!"

"Agh!" He leaped up into the air, limbs waving frantically and I rolled my eyes.

"It's Charmander! Charmander has disappeared from the E-R!" Ash frowned in confusion.

"But Charmander is right here." He answered and everyone shot him an unimpressed glare as he yawned. My hand whipped out and smacked him up the head hard enough to wake him up a little but not enough to hurt.

"The abandoned Charmander you idiot!" I leaped to my feet and raced to the E-R, grabbing my Charmander as I went and held him in to my chest as he let me carry him faster to the emergency room. When we all got there Nurse Joy was standing by the window which was wide open, the wind blowing through the curtains.

"I bet it went back to that rock to wait for Damien." Ash said sadly and his shoulders slumped in disappointment.

"We gotta go back!"

"I agree." I nodded my head as I glanced to Brock, a look of determination on his face.

"But that's no use. We can't force Charmander to come with us if it wants to wait for Damien. Even if he _is_ a lying creep." Misty answered with reason, her arms folded across her chest. I knew that she was right but I didn't believe for one second that it was the right thing to do, to just abandon that poor Pokémon like that.

"She's right. There's nothing you can do until Charmander realises the truth." I shook my head.

"Then we'll make him see. If he waits on that rock forever then eventually he will die. I can't let that happen!"

"Char!" Charmander agreed, looking up at me with an equally determined expression. It looked like he and I were in this together. Looking back up to Nurse Joy she shook her head at us.

"That Pokémon has demonstrated exceptional loyalty. I don't think there's anything you can do or say that will persuade it to change its mind." I paused, biting my lip as I thought for a moment. If Charmander continued to wait for Damien then it could be attacked by other wild Pokémon, stolen by force or simply starve out there. It wasn't fair or right. Yet if he didn't want to go then I wouldn't have the heart to force him.

"Charmander." Charmander looked up at me with a pointed look then whipped his tail to smack my leg.

"Ouch!" I squeaked then shivered. "Okay fine." I snapped at him then put my hands on my hips. "Whether he wants to go or not, it doesn't matter. We're going to go and find him and at least try to talk to him. I'll never forgive myself if I don't try. Come on Charmander." Turning I raced out of the E-R then onto the trail, Charmander following behind but he soon began to lag back, his little legs unable to keep up with me. "Hurry up!" I groaned but then went back. "Come on, I'll give you a lift. Just watch where you swing that tail, I like my hair at its current length." I warned then scooped him up and placed him on my shoulder.

Charmander hung on as I ran, racing back up the hill at a steady pace and climbed the hill, though it was pretty steep and I was soon gasping for breath. Charmander's little paw patted my shoulder and he nodded to me. "Char…Char…"

"Yeah I know, I have to keep going." I nodded my head. "Don't worry, there's only one place he'll go." And sure enough as we got to the peak, I saw Charmander marching down the road back towards the rock. "Hey! Wait up Charmander!"

"Char!" My Charmander called also and the little guy turned around in surprise as I ran up to him then fell to my knees, panting for breath.

"Just…give me…two minutes…" I laboured as Charmander jumped down then began to angrily tell the other Charmander off for leaving the Pokémon Centre. They growled at one another then bashed heads, glaring at one another as their pride both kicked in. "Whoa there, let's break this up. Charmander, you be quiet and let me do the talking." I picked my Charmander up and ignored him when his tail whipped my hand. Ouch that stings.

I put Charmander down a little behind me then turned back to face the other Charmander, who was looking up at me winsomely. "Hey there little guy, I'm glad to see you looking better." I started, smiling as I reached out and rubbed his head with one hand.

"Char…" It cooed, nuzzling into my hand as it then reached up and held onto my wrist with its hands, smiling happily.

"Char." My Charmander grunted with a snort then looked away childishly but I ignored him.

"Listen, I know you want to go back to that rock and wait for Damien, but I don't think there's any way to put this gently." I took a deep breath then sighed. "He's not coming back." Charmander blinked then shook his head, waving his hands.

"Char! Char!"

"I know you're being loyal and believe me, that's what makes you so great. Any trainer would be lucky to have someone like you on their team but Damien just can't see your potential. You're so young but he thinks you should be as powerful as a Charizard, which is wrong of him. You're too good for him, I think, you deserve better." Charmander looked down sadly then sniffed, tears forming in his eyes.

"Char…"

"I know how you feel. Really I do." I said to him, shifting so that I could sit more comfortably. "Damien was your first trainer and you wanted to be great for him, but he's just throwing you away and you feel like it's your fault. It's like me and my Charmander, I wanted to be his best friend and the greatest trainer he'll ever have, but he hates me." I glanced over to him but found he wasn't looking at me, though something told me he was listening.

Looking back I gave a weak smile to the Charmander in front of me. "And I feel like it's all my fault because I wasn't good enough for him. But its okay, we've reached some sort of understanding, though he hurts me from time to time." Shaking my head I shrugged. "But my point is, that it's not your fault you're the way you are. Sure, you might not know powerful moves yet, but that's when you need a great trainer who'll take the time to raise and train you. Someone like Ash!" I piped up, beaming. "He and Pikachu also had it rough at the start, I remember them telling me last night. Pikachu didn't trust Ash at all but look at them now! They're best buddies." Reaching out I tickled Charmander's belly and he giggled.

"Char! Char! Char!" Giggling too I beamed at him softly.

"Ash would take great care of you, I know he will. He cares about his Pokémon a lot and trains them all to be strong." Putting my hands on the ground I lowered myself a little to be more Charmander's height. "So what do you say? Would you like to give Ash a try?" Charmander looked back to the rock, thinking deeply. "And if we see Damien again then I know Ash will let you decide where you want to go. I just think you deserve much more than what you have right now. Plus, I'll always be around, so you'll be in great company! Brock makes the most amazing Pokémon food too, just try some of this!"

Reaching into my backpack I pulled out Charmander's Poké Treats which instantly sparked my Charmander's jealousy. "Char!" He snapped and tried to swipe the bag away but I pressed my hand into his face.

"Nuh uh, you are going to share." I told him, stopping him though he continued to run on the spot, kicking up dust. "Here, try some of this. It's also very good for you." Charmander sniffed the food then took it gently from my hands and I blinked. He didn't just bite it from me like my Charmander did, does that mean my Charmander just has appalling manners? Guess so.

Charmander sniffed it again then threw it into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully then his eyes widened, shining as he gasped. "Chaaaar!"

"It's great isn't it? Here, have another one." I smiled. "You look really hungry."

"Charmander! Char, Char!" My Charmadner growled then bit my fingers, making me screech and leap up into the air.

"YOOOOW!" Suddenly Damien's Charmander whirled around and growled at my Charmander, scolding it ferociously and my Charmander growled back, glaring at it as it hogged the food. Shaking out my hand I bit down my anger. I couldn't yell, because being a trainer meant that you had to have the greatest patience and always remain as calm as possible around your Pokémon, or they would never trust you.

The two Charmander's knocked heads once more, glaring heatedly as their tail flames grew brighter so I stuck my hands between them and pushed them apart. "Easy now, let's turn down the heat before we cause a drought." I suggested then pulled the snack bag from my Charmander. "Now, you need to learn to share because it's a nice thing to do. Only last night you refused to leave this little guy's side and now you're about to start a feud. Both of you need to mature a little bit." I told them sternly then gave them each a fair and even portion of snacks.

I let them finish, ate some breakfast for myself then stood up, shouldering my pack. "So what do you say? Want to give Ash a try?" I said to Charmander who blinked up at me then looked back to the rock, weighing his options. I kept quiet, standing patiently to let him reach his decision by himself as Charmander stood beside me, a hand on his hip. I blinked when I realised he was standing in the exact same position as I was. How weird.

Finally Charmander turned then leaped towards us with a bright smile. "Char!"

"Great! Come on, if we hurry we can catch the others up!" I laughed then began to jog. "I'll race you!" Both Charmander's raced after me and I giggled, leaping across the road as the more playful Charmander tried to catch me. I let him at one point and he wrapped his arms around my leg and rubbed his head into me, making me giggle as it tickled.

My Charmander watched with a sour face so I invited him to come join us but he merely snorted out a flame then turned his head away. Sore loser. We continued down the path, past the Pokémon Centre then followed the trail that head to Route Twenty Four.

When we got closer to a rise, however, I noticed something peculiar. Three shapes, two tall and one small, were dressed in odd rubber boiler suits and one of them held a red rubber sack with…Pikachu! They had Pikachu! That could only be Jessie, James and Meowth from Team Rocket. They are not going to get away with him!

"Come on guys, we need to hurry and save Pikachu!" I gasped then quickened my pace, the two Charmanders dropping their weight and racing forwards also, heads lowered ready to charge into battle.

A horrible laugh sounded as we got closer and I recognised Jessie now because of her big pink hair. "Thank you so much for _dropping_ in." She said sarcastically to what looked to be a big hole. Ash and the others must be trapped down there!

"Don't worry, Pikachu is safe with us, we won't lose him like you did." James added, holding up the red rubber sack with Pikachu in it, who looked totally distraught.

"Chuuu…" He whined and I felt my heart bleed for the pitiful sound.

"Pikachu!" I heard Ash call as Team Rocket turned around.

"Let's get out of here." Meowth suggested but then I planted my feet firmly on the ground, the two Charmander standing in front of me with battle ready stances.

"Oh I don't think so, you're not getting away with Ash's Pikachu!" I shouted determinedly. "You better let him go right now before I torch you all!" They blinked at me.

"Hey! It's Ruby!" Brock called from the hole. "She's back!"

"Charmander!" The Charmander snapped, spreading its hands in preparation to fire as he stepped forwards then pointed to Team Rocket. "Char, Char! Charmander Char!" He said and I smirked proudly.

"It's saying you'd better give Pikachu back to those guys right now!" Meowth translated and I folded my arms across my chest with an arched eyebrow.

"That's right. We're not letting you take him away just like that." I snapped my fingers in a click. "You're going to have to fight for him."

"You've got to be kidding." Jessie drawled, placing a hand on her hip as she leaned into it.

"Step aside little girl and take your insolent fire bugs with you." My Charmander growled darkly, narrowing his eyes and my smirk only grew wider.

"Oh you shouldn't have done that. You see, Charmander are quite proud little guys, especially my Charmander right here." I gestured to him. "So you're going to pay for that." Meowth laughed then slid out his claws, flexing them slowly as he stepped forwards.

"Team Rockey plays rough, so get moving or _you'll_ be sorry." Rolling my eyes I then turned to face them, clenching my fists tightly.

"Alright boys, let's show them how powerful you really are. Light them up!" Both Charmander looked at one another then nodded, tensing their bodies and I watched as their tail flames quivered, glowing brighter and they both inhaled deep breaths. I was expecting Ember. What I saw, however, was very different.

All at once they opened their mouth and cried out determinedly and a jet of fire burst from them, consuming Team Rocket with a hot attack. Wow! They both learned Flamethrower! "Haha! Awesome guys!" I cheered, punching the air victoriously as they then clamped their mouths shut. James dropped Pikachu's sack, the three of them scorched and covered in an ashy layer before they turned and hightailed out of there.

"You see! Didn't I tell you we needed fireproof uniforms?!" James yelled as they ran.

"Shut up and keep running!" Jessie answered and I burst into giggles, unable to hide them as I hid my mouth behind my hand then went over to Pikachu first. He was desperately trying to break free of the sack so I gripped it with both hands then tore it open, letting him out.

"Hey there! Miss me?" I questioned and Pikachu suddenly beamed.

"Chuuu!" He leaped on me and I laughed as he nuzzled my face, sparks dancing across my cheek and making it go numb but I didn't mind. I hugged him tightly, still giggling until Ash called up.

"Hey! Any help up there?" Tickling Pikachu's chin I put him down then looked over the side.

"I don't know, you look pretty comfortable down there Ash." I teased and he glared up at me. "Okay, okay, hold on a moment, I've got some rope in my bag." Pulling it out I threw it down then gripped onto it tightly as first Misty then Ash came up, then together we helped Brock who climbed out last.

"Wow, thanks for the help Charmander." He said as I helped him stand up. Misty grinned.

"You see Brock? Charmander knew we cared. That's why it's here." I winked at Charmander who beamed proudly at me.

"I told you that you were better than Damien thought you were. You're definitely way too good for him."

"Char!" It agreed and I smiled before looking around for my Charmander who had a jealous look on his face.

"Aw come on, I'm super proud of you too! You're growing up so fast!" I said to him, scooping him up then tickled his belly quickly before he could hit me with his tail or claws. "That was one fantastic Flamethrower!"

"Char! Char!" It laughed so before it could get annoyed, I put him down then rubbed his head where he leaned into me contently.

"Hey Charmander, how would you like to team up with us?" Ash suggested but the Charmander looked at me. I nodded to him, smiling softly.

"Yup, that's Ash. I told you he was great, he already wants you on his team!" Charmander looked back to Ash as he continued to speak.

"I'm afraid your _trainer_ won't be coming back." Just then a voice spoke up and we all turned in shock.

"Hey Charmander, I've been looking all over for you." My mouth dropped open in horror. He can't be here! There's no way he'd have actually decided to come back for Charmander.

"Damien! It's you!" Ash noted and I shot him a look.

"No, it's Father Christmas." I said sarcastically then took a step forwards to stand in front of the group and Charmander. "You should leave whilst you have the chance or I'll give you another taste of my fist."

"What do you want, Damien?" Brock asked haughtily and we all glared at him.

"I came back for Charmander. Just like I promised." Everyone gasped but I growled.

"You liar! You never cared about Charmander and you still don't! You just want him back because you saw how strong he really is. Why I should…" I lunged forwards but both Ash and Brock held me back by my arms. "Let me at him! Let me at him!"

Charmander gave a soft whine then looked at us all so Brock looked to him deeply. "Be careful, this trainer has already abandoned you once before." Damien snorted, watching with amusement as I continued to struggle against my captors.

"Charmander is mine. I'm the one that caught it, remember?" Ash let go of one of my arms then stepped forwards, lowering his head slightly to glare more fearsomely.

"Damien you bragged about how you abandoned it!" He accused and Damien only nodded with a sickening smirk. Oh I wanted to wipe that look off his face _sooo_ badly.

"Good thing I did, that toughened it up! Besides, what's wrong with dumping off a weak Pokémon?" Charmander gasped and startled slightly, staring at Damien in shock as I growled.

"When you capture a Pokémon it becomes your responsibility! Pokémon have feelings and are living things, you can't treat them like tools just for battling! They're all far more important than that! Every single one of them!" I bellowed and almost broke free but by now Brock had me anchored to his chest. "Let me knock his lights out! Please?" Damien shrugged.

"Yeah, I wasn't going to come back for it but now I've seen what it can do, I'm real glad I ran into you guys." He laughed whilst crossing his arms across his chest. "The best thing is I didn't have to raise it myself."

"That's terrible!" Misty put in, clenching her fists as I finally stopped struggling. Maybe if I looked like I was under control, Brock would let me go. _Then_ I could go beat up that jerk. No such luck, Brock continued to hold onto me.

"Raising a Pokémon is the best part about being a trainer!" Brock agreed and I thought about Pidgeotto. I had adored every moment of growing up with her and even more so when we started training. We had so many wonderful memories together, who would want to skip out all that? My answer stood right in front of me.

"You wish! It's the most boring part of the job."

"How dare you call yourself a Pokémon trainer?" Brock growled but still held me back despite me being perfectly still in his grip.

"You see? He doesn't care about you, he just wants to use you to win matches!" Misty said to the Charmander as my own continued to sit down and yawn, watching with only slight interest.

"Charmander don't just sit there! Can't you see that this trainer is dissing one of your own kind? Get off your butt and stand up for this Charmander!" He only yawned then turned over to sleep. My face went bright red. "Thanks for the support, chum."

"Charmander?" Ash questioned as Brock also spoke.

"Charmander…" But then Damien cut everyone off.

"Charmander! Return!" He flung a Pokéball forwards and Charmander's eyes widened before growing narrow. He ducked down then whipped out his tail, smacking it right back into Damien's face.

"Alright! Nice hit Charmander!" I cheered and he nodded to me.

"Urgh…that does it! I'll thrash you with every Pokéball I got!" Damien yelled then picked up a handful of Pokéballs, getting ready to throw them but then Charmander opened his mouth and shot a jet of flames at Damien, barbequing him on the spot.

"Woohoo! Yeah!" I laughed and Brock let me go. "That's the way to do it Charmander!" Pikachu bounded forwards and sent a Thundershock at Damien also, giving him a double dose of what he deserved. When the attack stopped, Damien stood there, twitching with an odd look on his face.

With both hands on my hips I strode over to him, head lifted high as I stopped at his side, looked at him, then stomped on his foot as hard as I could. "ARGH! Mommy!" He cried then sped off, charred black and smoking.

"Way to go Charmander!" Brock praised and I gave Charmander a thumb's up and a wink before going to stand with the others. He turned around and looked at us all, unsure of what to do next. Brock then looked to Ash then patted his shoulder.

"Go ahead Ash, you get Charmander." Brock said and Ash blinked in surprise. "It'll be a great Pokémon."

"Thank you Brock." He said then looked to Charmander. "Come on Charmander, welcome to the group!" He laughed then clicked a Pokéball. Charmander waved his arms excitedly, calling out once then leaped into the air to the Pokéball as Ash threw it, letting himself be captured before the ball flew back to Ash, who smiled proudly.

"You got a Pokémon and a new friend." Misty commented then laughed. "I'd say that's a big step for Charmander, choosing to let go of his loyalty to Damien to go with you." She then turned to me. "But why didn't you ask to keep him? If you're going to be releasing your own Charmander soon, why not get another one?" I shrugged, looking over to Charmander.

"I wouldn't insult Charmander like that. He hates me enough as it is, I wouldn't want to cut a wedge between us wider than it already is. Besides Ash, you deserve him. I know you can prove yourself to Charmander far better than I could. I can't even get my own to do as I say." Looking over to Charmander I lifted his Pokéball. "Okay Charmander, time for you to return." I summoned him back, patted his ball then clipped it to my belt. "So where next? Vermilion City? I hope you won't mind if I tag along with you guys."

"Of course not! You have to stay because then you and I can outmatch the boys." Misty grinned. "I can hold them off pretty on my own, but you know, two girls are always better than one!" She proclaimed, slinging an arm over my shoulders and I laughed as Ash groaned.

"Oh no, not another one!"


	12. Chapter 12

After a long while we eventually found the right route to Vermillion City, which was great because my back was beginning to ache from all the camping out on the hard ground. "Pidgeo!" Pidgeotto called out and I smiled as she circled around me.

"Hey there, how are the thermals?" I asked and she spun around, tucking in her wings then arched out her neck and spread her wings elegantly to tell me they were great. "Well be careful okay? I don't want you to get snatched away by a sudden wind." I warned her and she nodded before flying off again.

"You know I caught a Pidgeotto too." Ash said to me and I looked at him.

"Really?"

"Yeah, it was the second Pokémon I caught. Wanna see?" I nodded my head eagerly so Ash stopped and picked up the Pokéball. "Go Pidgeotto!" He called and the magnificent bird Pokémon soared out of its ball.

"Wow, it looks pretty neat." I said to Ash then whistled, calling his Pokémon to me and it looked before banking down and landing. "Hey there, I'm Ruby." My Pidgeotto landed at my side and I smiled. "And this is my Pidgeotto, I've had her since she was very young. How about we look at you?" I began my inspection, looking at every feather and making sure I checked its beak, eyes, talons and tail before stepping back. "It looks like it's in good shape, but it's not as strong as it could be. Its wings look a little bit on the unkempt side, which means you haven't been letting it out for enough exercise." I said to Ash who blinked then rubbed his head.

"Oh, I guess I haven't." He agreed so I continued.

"Also, you need to let it do its own hunting a little bit, so that it can keep its beak and talons sharp, these are little blunt which means its moves are making less effect than they could be. Also, it looks like you've been feeding it a little _too_ much without the exercise it needs." Turning I chuckled softly. "But it looks very happy, which is great!"

"Pidgeo!" It agreed then spread its wings as my own Pidgeotto rose up into the air. Ash laughed.

"Sure, go and have a fly around, you'd better get the exercise Ruby thinks you need because it looks like she's an expert on bird Pokémon." I blushed.

"Oh I wouldn't say that, I've just helped take care of Pidgeotto a lot." I amended so we all continued walking along.

"You know, you two have exactly the same Pokémon, Charmander and Pidgeotto. Isn't it going to get confusing for you two?" Misty asked but I shook my head.

"No, I can tell my Pokémon apart from a hundred of their kind. My Pidgeotto is smaller than Ash's and also has less colourful feathers because yours is a male, Ash, and mine is female. That's also a big give away. Plus, they know who their trainers are so they won't confuse our directions if we ever did have a battle against one another."

"Hey that's a great idea, we should have a battle sometime." Ash said and I nodded my head with a challenging smirk.

"Alright! You're on. How about a battle when we find someplace to camp tonight? Unless we reach Vermillion before then."

"Sure, I can't wait!" Ash agreed then began to march forwards proudly, swinging his arms and lifting his feet high as he began to hum something, obviously pumped for the promised battle. We were walking down the path happily enough, enjoying the sunshine and early morning breeze but then I hung back to watch the two Pidgeotto's flying together, looping through the sky and spiralling around one another in some sort of dance, trying to show off more to the other which made me chuckle.

When the sound of something collapsing and a triple yell of fright sounded, however, I turned then gasped. "Hey! Where'd you all go?" I demanded then ran forwards, looking to the hole in the ground.

"Not another hole!" Misty complained as the three of them groaned at the bottom.

"Ow! I landed on my head!" I chuckled.

"Good thing you've got a thick skull then, right Brock?" I called down from the top, kneeling down and peering over as everyone slowly untangled themselves.

"Hey, how come you never fall down any holes?" Ash demanded as he rubbed his back and I grinned.

"I'm just lucky I guess." I shook my head then reached down. "Come on, I'll help pull you back up."

"It must be a prank." Brock mused as Misty grabbed onto my hand.

"Well, someone must have a bad sense of humour." She answered, scrambling to get up as I pulled. Suddenly I was aware of something coming closer so I looked around as Ash spoke.

"Who would play such a rotten trick?" Uh…I think I know who.

"Squirtle! Squirtle!" Five Squirtle appeared, all of them wearing round shades but one of them wore a more angular pair, so I guessed he was their leader. What were Squirtle doing here? One of them rammed into me from behind and tried to send my flying inside but suddenly my Pidgeotto appeared, flapping her wings furiously with an outcry.

"Pidgeo!" The Squirtle was sent flying backwards with a yell.

"Squuuuirtleee!"

"Ha! Serves you right for trying to be so mean." I told him with a nod of my head. "Hold on Misty, I'll get you up in a moment, let me grab my rope." Misty nodded then let go, jumping back down again so I took off my bag then retrieved my rope. As the Squirtle all laughed.

"What's so funny? We could have been hurt!" Misty told them sternly but they only continued to laugh as I tossed down the rope then hauled Ash up.

"Dangerous practical jokes are nothing to laugh about!" He told them as they scuttled backwards and formed a line, the leader in the centre.

"Pikachu." Pikachu nodded his head firmly in agreement as I helped Ash up then brought Brock and Misty to the surface too. Ash stepped forwards then opened up Dexter so I did the same and they spoke at the same time.

"Squirtle, this tiny turtle Pokémon draws its neck into its shell to launch incredible water attacks which have amazing range and accuracy. The blast can be quite powerful." He finished and my eyes sparkled.

"Oh they're all really cute! I'm going to catch one."

"Me too! With my own Squirtle, Gary will never beat me! Huh?" Ash looked at me and we blinked before we both laughed. "Guess that's another Pokémon we both want." He shrugged then looked at Pikachu. "Go Pikachu!"

"Pidgeotto! Come on down!" I called and she flew down in front of me, landing beside Pikachu then spread her wings.

"Pidgeo!" She trilled, ready for a battle. Pikachu raced forwards with a Thundershock, aiming for the leader however one of the other Squirtles leaped in the way and took the hit, yelling as the electricity pumped through its body.

"Oh! It's so brave…" I gasped, mouth dropping and I looked at Pidgeotto then to the Squirtle. It dropped down on its shell and the leader looked down at it with worry.

"Squirtle Squirtle?" Then he looked at Pikachu with anger, stepping forwards to face him down. "Squirtle!"

"Pika!" He answered and they began to glare at one another.

"Uh oh, this looks bad." I murmured then lifted my Pokéball. "On second thoughts, return Pidgeotto. I don't think these guys really want to fight us." Pidgeotto disappeared with the red light so I put the ball back on my belt. "Hey Squirtle? Why did you do such a dangerous thing like that?" I asked them, sitting down cross legged then picked up Pikachu to set him in my lap, rubbing his head to calm him down and he blinked before relaxing. "You could have really hurt somebody and if they were alone then they would have been stuck down there for a very long time before anyone could help them."

The Squirtle all blinked at me then looked up as they heard the wail of a siren. The leader turned to his followers then nodded his head. "Squirtle!" With a rush they all charged away, carrying the fainted Squirtle above their heads whilst calling out in unison.

"Well that was sure weird." Ash commented.

"Chu?" Pikachu tilted his head to the side so I chuckled, tickled his chin where he liked it best then stood up as a motorcycle skid to a halt with an Officer Jenny then turned to face us.

"Are you guys alright? Has anyone been hurt here?" She asked with worry and we all looked at her.

"Officer Jenny!" Ash smiled and stepped forwards but Jenny looked a little confused.

"Huh? Have we met before? Your face doesn't look familiar." She questioned in genuine confusion and I frowned, how could she forget us?

"We both met you in Viridian City, remember?" I told her, stepping forwards also. "You drove Ash and Pikachu to the Pokémon Centre after his Pikachu got hurt badly by a swarm of Spearow." Suddenly her face lit up.

"Ooh! You mean one of the other Jenny's, my cousins." She answered and we all blinked.

"Cousins?" She stood up her bike and stood facing us with a smile as she continued to explain.

"My cousins are all police officers, all of us look identical plus we're all called Jenny." That made things a little clearer, so it was like Nurse Joy and all her family looking the same and all being called Joy.

"Talk about family resemblance." Ash mused with a smile and Misty looked at us.

"At least they remember all their names." I giggled.

"Yeah, and you can always tell one from the other." Jenny shared a laugh then nodded her head gesturing down the road.

"How about I escort you all into town? We don't want to run into any more accidents now, do we?" We all heartily agreed. So she took us back to the police station where Jenny then began explaining who those Squirtle were.

"They call themselves the Squirtle Squad." She told us and Ash frowned.

"The Squirtle Squad?"

"I've never heard of a Pokéon gang." Misty looked as confused as the rest of us were.

"They're all Squirtles who were deserted by their Pokémon trainers." Instantly my heart fell. Deserted? Just like poor Charmander. How could people be so mean? It's unfair to the Pokémon, who only ever do their best for their trainers to only be treated like junk. I looked away sadly, hugging my waist.

"Deserted?" Ash voiced and Jenny nodded.

"They don't have a trainer so they just run wild and play tricks on all of the town." She told us then described some of the tricks they had played. "They've stolen flags, spray painted walls, even taken food from the market and completely ravaged the place." Shaking her head she sighed. "It's just kind of sad because if they had someone to really care about them, they wouldn't have turned out to be as bad as they are. It's a real shame." I agree. It's terrible.

"Well, there's nothing really we can do." Brock said. "If we knew where they were, we could try talking to them but I don't think they'd trust a word we say."

"You're right, nothing we do works. They're gone before we can even get to the scene." Jenny answered then stood up. "I'm just glad you kids are okay." We smiled at her though my smile was a little forced. "I'll show you out." She led us to the door then pointed down the path to the direction of Vermillion City then saluted us. "Goodbye and good luck!"

"Thanks Officer Jenny, give our best to your cousin!" I called back then followed the other. Ash and I looked pretty down and I think it was for the same reason. I couldn't stop thinking about those poor Squirtle. They must have had it pretty rough the same as Charmander.

"Hey, are you two okay?" Brock asked and we both shook our heads.

"I feel bad for those Squirtle. They were all abandoned by trainers who couldn't be bothered to raise them. It's horrible." Ash said and I sighed.

"It's not their fault they're behaving the way they are. I just can't understand why people would abandon great Pokémon like them. Squirtle are rare and can grow into extremely powerful Pokémon, why would people abandon them?" I looked up at Brock who gave a comforting smile then touched my shoulder.

"Some people just don't see Pokémon the way we do, some of them just give up training because they can't be bothered or they find it too hard and so they abandon their Pokémon, though sometimes the Pokémon don't understand why."

"But can't they just release it?" I asked but Misty answered instead.

"Releasing a Pokémon is a decision for both the trainer and the Pokémon. If a Pokémon doesn't want to leave then the trainer will have to take it to a facility where they can take care of it or sometimes they even sell the Pokémon. The problem is that when you give it to a facility there's all these forms and even a fee which can be quite expensive because there are so many Pokémon that can't go back into the wild or refuse to leave their trainers." Shaking my head I clenched my fist.

"Hey guys? I promise I will never abandon you." I said as I picked up Pidgeotto and Charmander's Pokéballs. "We'll be a team for always, even you Charmander, when you go back to the wild, I want you to know that you'll always be my first Pokémon to me." Smiling I hugged them both then clicked them back onto my belt.

"Hey there's a lake over there, how about we sit down for a while and I'll do some fishing?" Misty suggested, trying to brighten the mood. Ash smiled and looked up.

"Yeah! That sounds great." He agreed so we went over to a bank then sat down, resting on the grass. I bathed in the sun, enjoying the heat and listened to the gentle lap of water against the bank. However my mind wandered to the Squirtle, thinking how betrayed they must feel. Maybe if someone showed just a little bit of love, they would understand that not all trainers were like that.

Thinking about Charmander, the Squirtle Squad and even Gary's Horsea, I realised that there must be thousands of Pokémon who are abandoned by their trainers. It was totally unfair and they must be so hurt inside. With this in mind, I began to question my future. Was being a Pokémon Master what I really wanted?

Just then I heard Misty gasp. "I think I caught something!" We all looked up to watch as her line twitched, waiting with anticipation but then a blue head poked out the water. Wait a minute, was that a…

"Squirtle!" It called then a blast of freezing cold water engulfed us, making us all cry out as it soaked us to the skin. I shivered and tried to block the water from hitting my face but it was quite a powerful blast, so it was no use. When the water drained away we all looked to see the Squirtle laughing.

"I'm soaked." Misty whined quietly and Ash groaned.

"Me too." Pikachu shook himself off then bounded forwards.

"Pi! Pika-CHU!" Suddenly a bolt of electricity rushed through me and I cried out, trembling from the effect as it practically shocked me off the ground, making every hair stand on end as Ash wailed.

"Knock-it-off-Pi-ka-chu!" When the bolts stopped Pikachu looked around in confusion as we collapsed to the ground.

"Chu?"

"Wet clothes conduct electricity." Brock explained wearily and I moaned, feeling my entire body go numb. Ouch, that seriously hurt. The Squirtle's laughter rang in my ears then a splash as it leaped out of the water then faced us, waiting for us to attack.

"I've had enough of your pranks Squirtle, Pikachu it's out of the water now!" With a gasp I launched myself to my feet then ran forwards as Pikachu ran to attack.

"Pikachu no! Don't hurt it! It's not its fault!" I called out, racing forwards to stand in the way but as Pikachu got closer, the Squirtle leaped up and turned its Rapid Spin into a Tackle, hitting Pikachu with considerable force and knocked him towards the lake. "Pikachu!" I yelled in fear but then looked ahead. "Huh?"

The Squirtle came flying back. With me right in the way. "Ruby look out!" The hard shell hit me in the face and I grunted before falling backwards, a bright light flashing before my eyes before everything went dark.


	13. Chapter 13

It felt like I had only been out for a few minutes, but when I woke up, I was tied up and laying on a cave floor, though someone had put a blanket over me and my rucksack under my head. "Huh?" I moaned, opening my eyes then looked up.

"Ruby! Thank goodness you're awake. We were beginning to worry about you." Brock said to me and I looked at him, tied up to a rock with Misty.

"You're worried about me? What about you?" I questioned then looked around. "Where's Ash?"

"He's been allowed into town to get some Super Potion for Pikachu but he has to get back before noon today or they're going to dye my hair purple!" Misty did not look happy. Sitting up slowly I flinched as my head spun but then I saw Pikachu in a cage, breathing heavily and he did look terrible.

I scooted closer, tilting my head to the side then sniffed. "He's been poisoned by that Goldeen's Poison Sting, that's why he's not recovering." I announced then gripped my bag with my teeth, pulling it upright then began to pull the zip with my teeth. "I have some Antidote and Potions in here with me, it should be enough to get Pikachu on the mend until Ash gets back to completely heal Pikachu."

"You have Antidote! Why didn't you tell us before?" I shot a look at Brock.

"I didn't think any of you had run out of supplies! Hang on Pikachu, this is a little tricky to manage." I said as I tried to turn around and rummage through my bag with my tied up hands.

"Squirtle!" I froze in place then looked to see the lead Squirtle glaring at me, arms crossed over its shell.

"The Squirtle says to stop moving or they'll blast you with the biggest Water Gun you'll ever see." A familiar voice said and I blinked.

"Meowth? Why are you here?" I demanded then glared at him. "You set this trap! You dirty little cat, I'm going to make you sorry for hurting Pikachu like this! Now let me go so I can give him Antidote and Potion!" Meowth jumped into view then shook his head.

"Nah, I don't think so. Humans can't be trusted, right Squirtle?" The five gang members all nodded their heads in agreement.

"Squirtle." They chorused so I sighed.

"Okay, don't let me go. But please, can one of you at least make Pikachu feel better? He's in pain and suffering right now. If you don't help him then his condition could get worse." I pleaded then used my foot to push my bag towards the leader. "It's the purple bottle and the blue spray. That should fix him up a little for now."

The Squirtle looked at me then into the bag, weighing his options. "Please?" I pleaded again, giving my best doe eyed look before finally, he nodded.

"Squirtle." He rummaged through my belongings then pulled out the right items, looking at them both then to me for confirmation.

"That's perfect, if you could just spray them on Pikachu then he'll feel a little better." I smiled to him warmly then let him climb up onto my shoulder to then jump onto the rock. He took the Antidote first and sprayed it onto Pikachu who twitched at the contact. Squirtle tossed the empty bottle over his shoulder and one of the other Squirtles caught it. "Hey, you can put it back in my bag." I told it softly. "Don't want to leave any litter here, do we?" The Squirtle nodded then slid the bottle back into my bag and then later the Potion, which had been my last one.

"Pi…Pikachu…?" Lifting his head and opening his eyes, Pikachu looked around and I turned to face him.

"Hey Pikachu, its okay." I assured him. "Ash has gone to get you some proper medicine but we found some things in my bag which gave you a little boost. You just rest now, okay? Go to sleep and when you wake up, Ash will be back." Nodding my head to Pikachu he moaned softly.

"Chuuuu…"

"I know, just get some good rest." I told him with a smile. "Everything will be okay, you'll see." Settling his head back down Pikachu went to sleep again, so I watched to make sure he didn't deteriorate before giving a sigh of relief and looked over my shoulder. "He'll pull through."

"Way to go Ruby." Brock nodded to me as I settled back down. One of the Squirtles came closer to me with a cloth in his hand. It was mine, he must have taken it from my bag when he was putting the items away. He looked down then spurted a small trickle of cold water onto it then climbed up my leg to stand in my lap.

"Hey there." I greeted gently. "I'm Ruby, it's nice to meet you."

"Squirtle." He nodded his head then reached up and pressed the cloth to my head, where I instantly flinched.

"Ouch!" Brock blinked in surprise.

"Hey, that must be the Squirtle that hit you with its Rapid Spin!" I looked at him curiously.

"Is Brock right? Was that you who knocked me out?" I asked and the Squirtle nodded his head then spoke to me.

"Squirtle Squirtle Squirt, Squirtle…Squirtle!" I blinked then looked to Meowth.

"Care to translate?" I asked the sly Pokémon who shrugged, arms folded casually though he looked kind of nervous.

"He says he's sorry he hit you and that it was only an accident. He also wants to thank you for trying to stop Pikachu from trying to attack him, that it was a nice thing to do." I looked to the Squirtle then smiled.

"You're welcome."

"Squirtle." It continued to carefully dab the wet cloth to the lump on my head to try and ease the swelling, topping off the cool water from time to time before he jumped off then pointed to the ground.

"Squirtle Squirt." I giggled.

"Yes Doctor Squirtle." I nodded my head then lay down again. When two other Squirtle took the blanket and drew it further over me I smiled then lifted my head as the leader then pushed my rucksack under my head. "You know, you're all very nice really. You shouldn't let people think badly of you just because you're trying to prove a point. I think you're all wonderful." I said to them and they looked rather proud of themselves.

One of the Squirtles stepped forwards, drew himself back then blew a beam of ice at my wet cloth, freezing it. "Hey! Did someone teach you Ice Beam? That's so cool!" I smiled at it and it nodded its head with a satisfied expression as the now freezing band was placed on my head. "Hmm…that feels much better. Thank you." I said to them. Although I was pretty uncomfortable because of the ropes that bound me, I was really touched that they were taking care of me.

I slept and rested for an hour or two until I felt the bonds being loosened. "Huh? What's going on?" I mumbled then turned to see Brock untying me. "Brock?"

"The Squirtle Squad are letting us go. I think they've had enough of this prank so we're being allowed to wait for Ash at the entrance." He said to me. "Come on, we need to get you to a hospital to check that you're okay."

"I'm fine, just a little tired." I answered as he helped me stand. Instantly the blood rushed to my head and my vision went blank, knees buckling in the progress as I groaned. "Okay…hospital sounds good." I agreed as Brock helped me stay upright. Misty put my spare blanket in my rucksack then together we all met the Squirtle Squad outside.

"Now you sit down and stay there." Misty said to me. "You might have concussion and if you faint then you might hurt yourself even more." She told me sternly, sitting me down with my back against the rocks. "Okay?"

"Yes mom." I smiled weakly up at her, rubbing my head.

"Pikachu…" Pikachu moaned quietly, wriggling slightly in Brock's arms then blinked himself awake. "Pika?"

"Hey Pikachu? Are you feeling any better?" I asked and he looked at me.

"Pika Pi, chu…" I knew that feeling for definitely. We waited outside and the Squirtle Squad stood guard over us, Meowth constantly looking around and I frowned at him.

"Hey Meowth? Where are Jessie and James? How come they're not around?" Meowth gave an uninterested sound then shrugged.

"My humans are doing some errands I sent them out to do." I frowned.

"Your humans? They're not your humans, you're Team Rocket!" A clawed hand went for my face and I flinched as Meowth yelled.

"Be quiet human!" But before he could land his Scratch, a big jet of water slammed into him and knocked him off course.

"Squirtle!" One of the Squirtles, the one who had initially knocked me out, leaped in front of me and stood protectively, glaring at Meowth who twitched.

"Me-ouch." He mumbled.

"Squirtle! Squirtle Squirtle Squirt, Suirtle Squirtle!" We all looked at it then to Meowth who rubbed his face with his paws.

"Huh? You would protect a _human_? Even after what they did to you?" Meowth leaped up and put on his most innocent expression. "They abandoned you, those rotten humans deserted you for something better, and you protect one of their kind? Humans can't be trusted." Meowth folded his arms but then the rest of the Squirtle came and stood in front of me and I stared in surprise.

"Squirtle, Squirtle Squirtle." The leader said, jerking a thumb back at me and I tilted my head to the side.

"What are they saying Meowth?" I asked him and the talking Pokmon sighed before answering.

"He said he might not trust humans, but they trust you well enough. You were willing to help one of his Squirtle Squad and you're nice to them, so I should leave you alone." I grinned victoriously.

"Thanks Squirtle Squad." I beamed at them and one of them patted my arm. Just then I heard someone come running out the cave, their footsteps still echoing as his deep breaths announced his arrival.

"What have you done?" Ash demanded of the Squirtle Squad as he rushed outside. How did he get inside without us seeing? "I told you I'd be back by noon and here I am. What have you done with my friends?"

"We're right here." Misty answered simply and Ash jumped in surprise.

"Huh?" The Squirtle all started to laugh and Pikachu lifted his head wearily.

"Pika Pi!"

"Where's the Super Potion for Pikachu?" Misty asked as they approached Ash, Pikachu in Brock's arms. I stood up also and walked over, though I rested a hand against the wall to make sure that I had some support.

"Oh...here." Ash answered, taking it out of his pocket then handed it to Misty. "Is he okay?" Brock nodded his head as Misty sprayed the Super Potion onto Pikachu.

"Ruby woke up and told the Squirtle Squad that she had Antidote and a Potion in her backpack so they healed Pikachu a little bit whilst you were gone. Turns out that Goldeen had used a Poison Sting attack which had left Pikachu poisoned." Brock explained then looked at me. "But how could you tell? Not even I noticed." I gave an embarrassed smell.

"I've always been able to tell when Pidgeotto had been hurt and I seem to be able to do it for all Pokémon. There was just a little bit of a smell on Pikachu which I knew was poison, because Pidgeotto once got attacked by a Nidoran when she was just a little Pidgey. I remembered the smell, that's all really." We all crowded around Pikachu, waiting to see the effect when Ash looked at Misty.

"So Misty, your hair isn't purple."

"Nope, I'm still a redhead." She beamed.

"The Squirtle Squad were bluffing." Brock explained as Misty sprayed a little more on Pikachu.

"They play tricks but they'd never change a girl's natural hair colour." I laughed as one of the Squirtles jumped on me then blew bubbles in my face, making me land flat on my rear as I caught him and the others all laughed.

"Besides, these guys are just misunderstood, they're not bad at all!" I giggled, wiping the bubble moisture from my face then smiled to the Squirtle as they crowded around me. "They're all great Pokémon and very good doctors." All laughter was then suddenly cut short when a blast rocketed through the air, making me yelp in fear and cling onto the Squirtle I was holding.

"That blast! It's Team Rocket!" Ash yelled.

"Team Rocket?" I repeated. "What do they want now?" I demanded, standing up with the Squirtle still in my arms.

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all people within our nation…" Oh no, not this again. Can't they come up with a different introduction theme? This one seriously sucked.

"To denounce the evils of truth and love! To extend our reach to the stars above!" They chorused together and I groaned. This was seriously not good. What were they doing with explosives? Such things must never be handled by children!

"Jessie!"

"James…"

"Squirtle Squad, it's payback time for insulting Team Rocket." Jessie announced from their flying Meowth air balloon then dropped two bombs over the side and they struck the side of the rock face further away from us. A ladder was then thrown over and Jessie shouted out. "Meowth! Carry Pikachu up the ladder!"

Meowth suddenly sprang forwards and with a slash of his claws to several faces, snatched Pikachu from Brock's arms. No! They can't still be after Pikachu! "And the rest of you are in for a real blast. Get it?" I growled under my breath. Not more of their stupid jokes.

"Hey! Bring Pikachu back!" I yelled but before any of us could run after them, a blast blew up only a few feet away in front of us, trembling the earth and causing bits of ground to go flying everywhere.

"Quick, run for cover!" Ash said to us all hurriedly. "Head for the cave!" Good idea! Let's get out of this minefield! We all raced for the cave, the Squirtle still in my arms and the moment I was inside, I put him down then looked back.

"Squirtle!" Ash yelled and I gasped. The leader was on his shell and couldn't get back up, he was trapped out there! Before anyone could do anything, Ash ran and flung himself forwards. "Here I come!" He threw himself over Squirtle, protecting him from the blast as Jessie and James struck again.

"Oh! Ash!" Misty screamed and I clung onto her in fear as the dust cloaked them both. When the air cleared both seemed to be okay, if only a little shaken up but neither of them made to get up. What were they doing? They need to get out of there! "Here come two more!" Misty yelled in warning as Team Rocket dropped another bomb wave.

Suddenly the Squirtle leaped to its feet and with amazing strength, lifted Ash over its head. Wow! He raced forwards, dodging the blast and we all prepared to pull them inside but it didn't look like that Squirtle was slowing down anytime soon. "Look out!" Misty yelled as another blast struck too close and lifted them off the ground, flinging them into the air then slammed into us.

Several elbows and knees dug into me as I ended up at the bottom of the pile. "Ugh…why is it always me that gets squashed?" I groaned. "First Misty…now this!" Anger blazing I leaped up, shoving everyone off of me and they yelped as they ended in another tangle. "That's it! I've had enough of those jerks!"

Reaching for my belt I grabbed a Pokéball. "Pidgeotto! I choose you!" Sending her forwards she fluttered in the air before me, waiting for my command. "Be careful, they're throwing flash bombs out there but you need to only get high in the sky to get out of range." I informed her as another bomb shook the cave. "But you need to put a hole in Team Rocket's pride and get back Pikachu for us, let's go!"

"Yeah! Come on Squirtle, let's get to the top and help Pidgeotto." Ash said to the leader Squirtle who nodded his head.

"Squirtle."

"Alright Pidgeotto, I believe in you. Let's go!" I called then ran to the mouth of the cave with her then watched as she soared out into the open.

"Pidgeo!" She called then banked sharply to avoid a blast, quickly gaining altitude though she served in and out of the bombs easily. She flew up and faced the balloon, flapping her wings then clicked her beak angrily, spotting Pikachu in James's arms.

"Alright Pidgeotto, let's shake them up a bit. Use Twister!" I called and she began to circle around the balloon, forming a twisted that wrapped it around and around.

"Wow…wow…WOAH!" Team Rocket yelled and I smirked with satisfaction, running out the cave then looked up to see Ash standing at the top, ready with the Squirtle. "Alright Pidgeotto, let them go now!" I shouted up. "Be ready to snatch Pikachu!"

"Pidgeo!" She nodded her head then circled, hovering close by as Team Rocket slumped against the side with travel sick looking faces.

"Squirtle! Water Gun attack now!" Ash directed and I watched as the Squirtle turned then spat a powerful jet of water at the balloon, bursting a hole through the Meowth head and it jerked backwards. Pikachu fell from James's arms and Ash gasped.

"Pikachu!" He yelled then started to run down the cliff. He's such an idiot!

"Pidgeotto, catch them both before they get hurt!" I yelled as Pidgeotto was already in a dive. Pidgeotto pulled back, spreading her wings as Ash caught Pikachu then grabbed his jacket with her claws, flapping her wings as hard as she could and thanks to her powerful built, she slowed their descent and landed them safely on the ground as the balloon spiralled off into the air, Team Rocket shrieking.

"Team Rocket's blasting off again…!" Laughing I ran forwards to Ash and the Pokémon.

"Yeah! That's the way to do it!" I jumped up in victory then ran to Pidgeotto to fling my arms around her. "I'm so proud of you."

"Don't celebrate just yet, we've still got trouble." Brock said then pointed to the fire that was beginning to spread towards the town. Uh oh, we're in trouble. "A fire, the blast must have set it off."

"You think!?" I yelled, waving my arms wildly at him. A screech of tyres announced Officer Jenny's arrival and we all turned to her.

"If it keeps burning then the whole town could go up in smoke!" Jenny worried but then Ash smiled.

"Don't worry Jenny, I've got an idea." Ash said to her then looked to the Squirtle Squad. "Listen, if you Squirtles work together, then you could combine your Water Guns to put out the fire." Sounds like a good plan to me, way to go Ash!

"Pidgeotto, circle around that fire and use Gust to keep it from spreading. Keep it contained as much as you can to keep it away from the town!" I called and she nodded her head, taking off again. "Ash, you get your Pidgeotto to do the same! It'll help keep it under control!"

"Right!" Ash nodded his head then let his male Pidgeotto out of his Pokéball. "Pidgeotto, go! Help Ruby's Pidgeotto control the fire!"

"Pidgeo!" He trilled then soared off to help.

"Come on! Let's get up there!" I called, already racing ahead and the Squirtle Squad quickly followed. They worked as a team, using their Water Gun attack to douse the flames as the two Pidgeottos beat back the fire, using the wind to redirect it away from the town and keep it contained until one of the Squirtles could put it out.

It took a lot of effort, but eventually all the flames were put out. Pidgeotto landed on the ground panting for breath and I ran to her. "Oh! You look exhausted." I fussed, hugging her close to me. "But I'm so proud of you! You helped save the town Pidgeotto, you did amazingly well. You deserve a nice long rest." I said then let her back into her Pokéball.

"You too Pidgeotto, your help really made a difference!" Ash beamed at his Pidgeotto, who was still flying as he wasn't as tired out from the work.

"Pidgeo!" He trumpeted proudly then flew back into Ash's Pokéball. With the excitement now over, I collapsed to the ground.

"Can I get an ice pack now?" I wailed, rubbing my head. In answer the Squirtle Squad all doused me with water, soaking me to the bone and my face fell. "Thanks guys. That's real helpful." I muttered and they all laughed, including Ash and the others.


	14. Chapter 14

After an award ceremony for the Squirtles and their official naming as the town's fire fighters, we left in happy spirits as I'd also been to the hospital to have my head scanned. Thankfully there was no fracture or cracks or anything, just some mild concussion which had already passed and I was good to go, though I still had a massive lump on my head, though I covered this by simply sweeping my hair to the side and formed a side fringe, which worked for the time being.

We were given better direction to get to Vermillion City then we head out after saying goodbye, once more on the road. However I couldn't stop thinking about how badly those Pokémon had been treated. Were there many trainers who were like that? More than expected? I just didn't know.

"Hey Ash, that Squirtle is following us." Misty said suddenly and we all stopped and looked back to see the leader of the Squirtle Squad chasing after us.

"Squirtle! Squirtle!" It called and we all glanced at one another before Ash grinned.

"Would you like to come along with us, Squirtle?" He asked and the Squirtle smiled.

"Squirtle." It answered then took off its shades to reveal beautiful brown sparkling eyes. Instantly I gasped and clasped my hands together.

"Oh it's so squishy looking and cute!" I breathed, my own eyes shining as Ash knelt down and held out his arms, laughing happily as the Squirtle ran and jumped into his arms to embrace him.

"Welcome to the team, Squirtle."

"Squirtle!"

"Guess I've caught a new Pokémon!" He triumphed and I laughed.

"You really have a way with them Ash, they just can't stop following you!" I teased as Pikachu jumped up.

"Pikachu!" Misty, however, didn't seem to agree.

"Caught? What do you mean caught?" She demanded, glaring down at Ash as he hugged the water Pokémon. Then I remembered that Misty wanted to be a water type master, so maybe she's a little bummed that she didn't get a Squirtle too.

"Oh what's the difference? It's on _our_ side now!" I laughed then placed my hands on my hips.

"I think Ash has caught him pretty well, they can't let go of one another!" Brock laughed then rubbed his head.

"Guess I'll have to make another new batch of Poké Treats when I get the time." Squirtle looked up at Ash then turned to me. He held out his hand so I knelt down and took it, letting him shake it.

"Squirtle Squirtle, Squirtle…" He told me expressively and I smiled.

"It's okay, I'm glad we could show you that not all people are bad. Welcome to our team! I know you're going to love travelling with us, it's been a blast so far!"

* * *

You know the only thing that made being lost out on the road bearable? Brock's cooking. If I had had to have gone those two weeks without such amazing food then I would have starved to death. However, it seemed that we were slowly running out of food and I was panicking.

"We have to find Vermillion City now! I can't go on like this! I haven't had a wash in days and all my clothes are filthy! This is a disaster!" My Charmander looked at me then whipped out his tail, knocking both my feet from out underneath me so that I landed heavily on the ground. "Ow, guess I deserved that." I muttered then slowly got up.

"Hey! Don't push Ruby around like that, she's only ever been kind and caring towards you!" Ash called out from across the clearing, glaring at Charmander who snorted then marched away proudly but then Ash's Charmander leaped in front of him.

"Charmander!" It yelled in its higher pitched voice then growled. The two Pokémon clashed heads then had a stare down, which was what they ever seemed to do when they were both out together. "Char…Charmander!"

"Okay break it up, that's enough you two." I called, picking up my own Charmander who then scratched me. "Yow!"

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu leaped forwards and his cheeks crackled with electricity as I dropped Charmander. Suddenly everyone was glaring at Charmander, who was in turn glaring at me as I touched the scratches on my face, pulling my hand away to see blood. He…he never drew blood before.

"Alright that's it! I've had it with your foul attitude!" Misty yelled at Charmander as all the Pokémon started to gang up on him. "Staryu! Use Water Gun to put out that Charmander's temper!" Her Staryu jumped forwards and lowered its top point to aim but I leaped forwards.

"No don't!" I got a blast of water into my gut and I fell backwards with a grunt. "It's not his fault…" I muttered as my body began to ache.

"Oh! Ruby I'm sorry!" Misty rushed forwards and helped me up. "Here, you sit down for a while." The she noticed the burns on my arms. Her notorious redhead anger burst free and she loomed over Charmander who startled backwards. "You horrible Pokémon! Look what you've done to Ruby! You've hurt her on purpose when all she ever does is try her best for you!"

Charmander blinked then tears came to his eyes. "Oh no! Charmander please don't cry." I begged, rushing forwards as he began to sob, his head turned to the sky as he wailed. "Misty look what you've done!" I said to her. "You made him cry!"

"Made him cry! Look what's he done to you!" She argued, gesturing to my scratches, bruises and burns.

"Some of them are from the road…" I mumbled then began to rub Charmander's head. "Hey it's okay, it's not your fault I get hurt, you're only a baby really aren't you? There now, you're okay." Charmander stopped his crying and nuzzled into me, letting me tickle his belly as he clung to my neck. "See? He's sweet really." I said proudly as everyone stared at me with mouths wide open.

Sitting down I placed Charmander in my lap and let him curl up for a nap, stroking his head and back to relax him. "He doesn't mean it, he just gets frustrated sometimes." I excused but Ash shook his head.

"Ruby I know you only want to see the best in him, but what he's doing to you isn't fair. You're burned and scratched all over." He pointed to my arms and legs but I merely shrugged.

"They're not that bad, they'll go in a couple of days. I bet it's because he's hungry really, he's normally more agitated if he hasn't eaten well in a while." Brock, Misty and Ash all looked at one another with worry then back at me.

"Ruby, all of us are hungry but none of the other Pokémon treat us the way Charmander treats you. You let him push you around because you want it to like you." Brock said to me but I shook my head.

"No, it's okay. I can be strict with him when I need to be." Though inwardly I wondered if he was right. Ash's Charmander came closer with a soft sound, looking at me with sympathy then hugged my knee, making me smile and reach out to rub its head.

However my Charmander opened one eye, saw the attention I was giving the other Charmander then growled. He whipped out his tail and slapped my hand, making me whip it back with a gasp. "Alright, that's it!" Ash and Misty both yelled and Charmander lifted his head but then snarled at the other, snapping his jaws then sprung for him.

Ash's Charmander leaped backwards with wide eyes. "Charmander!" But then it focused, facing my Charmander who stood in front of me possessively. Shaking my hand out I then looked up to the Charmanders.

"Stop it, both of you!" I reached out to touch my Charmander's shoulder but he spun around then clamped his jaw down on my hand, making me freeze in place before screaming aloud. "YOOOW!"

"Pidgeo!" My Pidgeotto suddenly swept forwards in anger, rustling her tail feathers then grabbed Charmander by his arms and hoisted him up into the air and I blinked through my tears.

"No! Don't frighten him! Pidgeotto come back!" But she ignored me. She flew up high into the air as Charmander wailed in fear, scrambling his legs as they climbed higher and higher into the sky. "PIDGEOTTO!" I bellowed as Misty put her arms around me.

"I think it's trying to teach Charmander a lesson." She said to me then looked at my hand and the teeth marks there. Good thing I wasn't wearing my gloves or he'd have torn holes into them. "We'd better put a bandage on that.

"But Pidgeotto, what is she doing?" I got up and looked at the sky to see…no, no she didn't. She didn't let go of Charmander! "Pidgeotto catch him! What are you doing?" Charmander tumbled through the air and we all gasped. "Ash, send your Pidgeotto to go catch him!"

Ash looked at his Pidgeotto who shook his head. "Pidgeotto! You can't let Charmander fall like that, please go catch him?"

"It's alright guys, it looks like Pidgeotto's diving after him." Brock said then pointed. "Look!" I looked upwards and sure enough, Pidgeotto was diving down after him. She tucked in her wings tightly then, when Charmander reached the canopy, she spread out her wings and reached with her talons, catching him safely and I exhaled with relief as she circled the clearing then dropped him down onto the ground, his body going limp on the ground.

"Charmander!" I gasped and raced forwards but then Pidgeotto landed directly in front of me, facing Charmadner who pushed himself up to look at us both. Pidgeotto glared ferociously at Charmander who began to tremble.

"Pidgeo, Pidgeotto Pidgeo!" Pidgeotto snapped at Charmander then flapped her wings once, hitting him with a Gust attack but not a very strong one, for it didn't throw him backwards, merely gave him a bit of a fright.

Charmander sniffed, tears shining in his eyes and I tried to go to him but Brock put a hand on my shoulder. "I know it's hard but you can't treat this Pokémon like one of my little brothers or sisters. You have to be stricter, let it know that you're the one in charge and that you won't bend the rules just for its own sake." He slowly turned me around and I felt tears slide down my cheek, stinging the scratch there. "You're going to have to start detaching yourself from it, if you're going to let it go."

"But…but he's only a baby." I tried to explain but Brock shook his head.

"Not anymore, he's just playing you into his hand so it can treat you the way it wants. In all honestly, if I were you, I'd hand him over to someone else to take care of and send back to Cinnabar Island. I think this is proving just too much for you to handle." That's when I burst into tears.

I shoved Brock off of me and ran into the trees, tears and sobs wracking my body as I caved in. He was right, I was no good for Charmander anymore than Charmander was good for me. This was all a mess, I couldn't even look after him right! Perhaps I should hand over the responsibility to someone with more experience, at least that way Charmander will get the care it deserves and needs.

"Ruby wait!" Ash called but Brock stopped him from chasing after me, saying that I needed time to think things out. I crashed through the trees, not really knowing where I was going until I tripped over a rock and fell to the ground, bashing my knee so I howled even louder from the pain, crashing out on the ground with my face planted firmly in the dirt.

I'm a failure really. Why did I even try? Mom was right too, I was still too young to go out and handle things on my own. The moment I get to Vermillion City, I'm going to call her and ask her to come and get me.

Losing track of time, I didn't notice it was getting dark until I stopped crying. My head hurt and I ached everywhere but I should really get back to the camp or I'll miss dinner. Groaning slightly I pushed myself up then looked around. Where was I?

At least I had made a pretty obvious trail in my haste to get away, it shouldn't be too hard to find my way back. All else fails I can just whistle and Pidgeotto will find me. Whimpering I looked at my knee to see crusted blood and a graze. Just perfect. What was I going to tell mom?

Seeing a pool of water I scooted over then began to wash off the blood and dirt from my body. I rubbed as carefully as I could but every now and then I would flinch and hiss at a particular sting but carry on all the same. I was just about done when something rustled in the bushes. "Huh?" I looked up to see them rustle again.

Biting my lip I slowly moved away from the water, keeping low as not to draw attention to myself. Was it a dangerous Pokémon? Should I call for help? But just as I lifted my fingers to my lips to whistle for Pidgeotto when a large, pink and fluffy creature appeared.

"Oh!" I gasped. "A wild Chansey!" The beautiful Pokémon looked at me with a strange look, looking over my legs and arms before waddling forwards.

"Chansey, Chansey." It said softly then inspected my arm, taking it in its hands and I blinked.

"Hello…" I greeted and it smiled at me.

"Chansey." It took a few steps back then closed its eyes, facing me with a placid look on its face.

"What are you doing?" I asked it curiously then gasped again when it started to glow. A pale blue aura shone around its shape then a soft pulse arced out towards me and touched my skin. Staring I watched as my scratches sealed shut and my bruises and burns disappeared. "Heal Pulse! That's incredible, I didn't know it worked on humans too." I said to it and Chansey smiled before shaking its head then lifted a hand, showing me her thumb and forefinger which gestured a small amount. "Oh, it only works on small wounds?" I asked and it nodded. "Well, thank you."

"Chansey!" She chirped then hopped forwards, helping me to stand up where it then rubbed my leg, trying to assure me everything was alright. She then took my hand and began to lead the way back to the camp. I stared at her for a while, wondering. She helped people and Pokémon simply because it made her happy. I know I always felt better when I've helped someone, so why not do the same? Maybe if I could offer a place for all Pokémon to claim sanctuary then there wouldn't be a need to abandon them anymore. People could leave them with me and then I'd take care of them until they were ready to move on. Yeah! I could totally do that!

"Do you help people and Pokémon often?" I asked curiously and it nodded its head.

"Chansey." She beamed prettily then let my hand go and pointed. "Chansey, Chansey."

"Okay, I'll go back now." I assured her. "Thank you again!" I waved, feeling a little better. Somehow her Heal Pulse had lifted the heavy weight in my chest, making me feel lighter than air. I ran back to the camp then rushed through the trees into the clearing.

"Ruby! Are you okay? Do you need anything?" Misty asked then blinked. "Huh? How come you're not bruised or burnt?" She asked and I smiled.

"A wild Chansey found me and used Heal Pulse." I answered her. "It healed me up until everything was gone and I feel great." I explained to her and Ash leaped up.

"Wow! A wild Chansey! Did you catch it?" He asked and I shot him a blank look before smacking him upside the head.

"Of course not you idiot! I didn't have my Pokémon with me!" I told him then folded my arms. "Besides, that Chansey helps all kind of wounded Pokémon and sometimes people, there's no way I'm going to capture it and stop its important work." Ash blushed then rubbed the back of his head.

"Guess so." Looking around I smiled as Pidgeotto came and flapped its wings in front of me.

"Hey! Are you okay?" I asked then rubbed her head but she nuzzled into me. "Oh I'm fine, just needed a moment or two to myself. I kind of really needed it, because I've come to a decision." Taking off my backpack I unclipped the two badges I had earned then walked over to Brock and Misty, who were looking at me with surprise. "I want to return these badges, if that's okay." I said then dropped the Cascade Badge into Misty's palm then gave the Boulder Badge to Brock.

Everyone gasped in shock, including the Pokémon. "Ruby what are you doing? You earned those!" Ash yelled at me but I just smiled.

"I've decided that I don't want to be a Pokémon Trainer anymore, I'm just not cut out for it." I explained to them, placing my hands on my hips.

"Ruby you can't make this decision just because of Charmander, there are plenty of other Pokémon out there who'd be great for your team. You could really take them somewhere great, just look at you and Pidgeotto!" Brock tried to tell me but I just laughed and stroked Pidgeotto's head.

"I don't want to fight anymore, so no more badges for me. Its okay, I feel happy about this. Besides I'm not giving up completely, I still want to travel and learn all I can about Pokémon and continue to build up a team, but what I really want to do is help the Pokémon." Everyone looked at me in confusion so I stooped down and picked up Squirtle and tickled his feet, making him chuckle as I continued to explain.

"Seeing how badly Squirtle and your Charmander were treated has opened my eyes a little. I bet there are hundreds and thousands of Pokémon out there who have been abandoned, who feel lost and alone right now so I want to be the one to help them. I'll work towards learning how to understand Pokémon as they are and help any that I come across until one day, when I have the sponsors, I'll open up a Pokémon Sanctuary where all Pokémon can be left for free and I'll rehome them, take care of them and help them love people again!" Misty's eyes suddenly sparkled.

"Oh that's a great idea! I'll sponsor you for sure! I'll tell my sisters all about it and we'll give you all the help you need!" She twirled around in excitement. "You could send any water Pokémon to us at Cerulean and we'll keep them in great shape and train them until you can find them a new home! And people will definitely notice you if you have the support of the four Sensational Sisters!"

"I'll support you too Ruby! Pewter City would be glad to help out such a great plan, we could help you build the different habitats for different Pokémon, and the Gym will also lend you its support!" Brock said as he held my shoulder and I beamed at them both.

"And when I become the greatest Pokémon Master, I'll also help you in whatever way you need! We all will, won't we Pikachu?" Ash said as he looked down to Pikachu, who nodded his head.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu ran up my body then nuzzled into my face. "Chuuuu!" I giggled then picked him up to cuddle along with Squirtle, hugging them both as the other Pokémon crowded around.

"I can't wait to get started! Oh there's so much to learn, but that's why filling up my PokéDex is so important now. I have to have information on every single Pokémon so I can know what they need to be happy and healthy…it's going to be great!" Suddenly my excitement was cut short when I looked around. "Hey, where's Charmander? I wanted to have a talk with him."

"We put him back into his Pokéball for a time out. He looked pretty upset though, so maybe you should leave it until tomorrow." Brock suggested. "Charmanders tend to hold onto their emotions for a while, so he'll be in a better mood by morning." I made a mental note of that fact.

"Okay. I'll talk in the morning." I nodded, taking the belt Brock was holding out to me then clipped it onto my belt. We all had dinner, a mix of berries, noodles and water which actually made a pretty decent soup then settled down to sleep for the night, though I gazed up at the stars with a smile, planning my future. It would take time, quite a few years in fact and there was no way I would be able to start now, being only ten, but time was all I needed, and I had plenty of that!


	15. Chapter 15

I awoke before morning, when it was still dark, when someone nudged at me gently. "Hmm?" I mumbled then looked up.

"Bulbasaur!" Ash's Bulbasaur prodded me again with his vines and I blinked before sitting up.

"Bulbasaur? What's the matter?" I asked it and it turned to point with one of the vines towards the road then to one of my Pokéballs. "Huh?" I lifted one up, the one that held Charmander then clicked it. The lid flipped open, revealing it to be empty. "Oh no! Quick, show me where he went!" I gasped and leaped to my feet, grabbing the belt and clipping it on. "Hurry Bulbasaur!"

"Bulbasaur!" He nodded then took off at a run. I didn't disturb the others because there was no need, Charmander couldn't have gotten too far as he was fairly small but also, Bulbasaur was quite alert so would have noticed pretty much straight away that he was gone.

"Pika?" Pikachu awoke then looked up, blinking as I jogged past with Bulbasaur. "Chu!" He leaped after us, springing onto Squirtle's Pokéball who quivered then opened, the sleepy Pokémon rubbing his eyes before looking to see what was going on.

"Squirtle!" He yelped then ran after us, hands raised high. Pikachu fell into stride beside me and I looked down.

"You coming with me Pikachu?" I asked and he nodded his head.

"Pikachu!" He affirmed so I smiled then looked back to Squirtle.

"Come on! We have to catch him before the others wake up. Pidgeotto go!" She flew out of her Pokéball then chirped in the early morning breeze, looking to the east where the sun was beginning to rise. "Pidgeotto, find Charmander! He's disappeared." I said to her. "Once you have him, bring him back to us." She nodded her head then flew off, though it was still pretty dark. I was hoping that Charmander's tail flame would be the giveaway for Pidgeotto to find him.

"Char! Charmander!"

"Huh?" I looked behind and saw Ash's Charmander running to catch up, making me stop to look and watch. "You're all coming to help me get Charmander back?" I questioned and they nodded their heads, chorusing their names. "That's…that's really nice of you all. I know you don't like him very much, but it means a lot to me that you want to help." I told them, kneeling down then stroked them all in turn. "I know that he's difficult and isn't very nice at times, but you see he really misses his family back home. He knows he doesn't fit in here and although he's never met his parents, I think he wants to go back to them anyway. So when he comes back, could I ask you all a favour?" They tilted their heads up at me.

"Saur?"

"Chu?" I smiled then tickled Pikachu's belly, making him chime out and clutch his stomach with a smile. "Chuuuu!"

"Would you be a little more patient with him? Try and feel a little more welcome? I think he feels a little like an outcast, which is why he acts the way he does. He doesn't think he fits in and I can't prove to him alone that he's wrong, I'm going to need all of your help. Could you do that? For me?"

"Squirtle." Squirtle nodded his head then looked to the others. Charmander pondered for a moment, not totally convinced but after Pikachu and Bulbasaur nodded their heads with soft assurances, he sighed then nodded his head too.

"Charmander."

"Thank you, you're all such great Pokémon." I smiled to them then looked up when I heard Pidgeotto's wings, signalling her return. The sun had risen quite a bit now so everything was brighter and I instantly saw that something was wrong. "Pidgeotto? Where's Charmander? Couldn't you find him?" I asked and she nodded her head.

"Pidgeo! Pidgeo, Pidgeotto!" She flapped her wings quickly and desperately, constantly looking at us and towards the east. "Pidgeotto!"

"Pika!" Pikachu leaped forwards to face me and I looked at him. He made pointed to Ash's Charmander then to himself as he picked up a stick and pretended to poke Charmander, who was also trying to warm me of something. "Pikachu! Chu! Chu! Pika Pika!" Pikachu cried out as he pretended to throw something at Charmander and I gasped.

"Someone's hurting my Charmander?" I realised and Pikachu nodded.

"Pika Pi!" Rage burned in me and fire danced before my eyes.

"Alright Pidgeotto, show me the way!" I shouted then grabbed Squirtle and Charmander, letting them cling onto my shoulder and bag before setting off at a run, Pikachu and Bulbasaur keeping up with me as Pidgeotto lead the way off road and through a cluster of trees.

Sunlight spilled down through the trees, hitting every dew drop as nature began to open her sleepy eyes, glinting in their depths but I ignored the beautiful scene before me to follow Pidgeotto, who swerved elegantly through the trees, angulating herself to miss every branch and tree trunk before pulling up short.

With a gasp for breath I looked down to see the cliff diverge into a road below, but then beneath that was flat ground where Charmander stood, looking around him fearfully as several people stood around him, clustering close and laughing.

One of them threw a stone and it hit Charmander in the head, knocking him down and a blazing inferno burst free from within me. "You leave my Pokémon alone!" I bellowed. "You hear me? Leave him ALONE!" Jumping forwards I skid down the cliff, determination written on my face as I looked down and put my hands on my hips and faced the group.

They were all grownups, but they looked like mean characters. They wore metal rings in their ears and studs in their noses as well as ripped jeans and leather jackets. "Who're you kid?" One of them asked, tossing his Pokéball up and down before smirking. "It's not clever to get mixed up in our business."

"Beating up a Pokémon is not business, it's bullying!" I shouted back. "And he's mine! So you better hand him over before I get _real_ angry." They all blinked at one another before laughing. I growled at their laughter. Did they think I was kidding? Oh I'll show them, I'll show them not to mess with me. I am not my mother's daughter for nothing!

"You? You're just a little kitten. Go home for some milk little girl, or we'll send you back with a real lesson burned into your memory." The leader smirked then threw his Pokéball. "Go Dodrio!" The others all smirked then drew out their own Pokémon too. There was a total six of them, so six Pokémon came out.

There was a Poliwrath, Primeape, a Graveller, Weepinbell and finally, an Onix which towered over everyone. Uh oh, this was not good. I looked down to Charmander in the centre of the ring of Pokémon, who all glared down at him.

"That little lizard thought it would be funny to try and burn us, so we're going to teach it a lesson first. Then you and your precious Pokémon will be next." The leader said to me then looked as the Pokémon all closed in. Clenching my jaw I closed my eyes, feeling my fury rise up before it burst out of me in a loud roar.

"Pokémon go! Thundershock, Vine Whip, Water Gun, Flamethrower and Gust!" I yelled and the Pokémon at my side all growled and fired themselves up for battle. "Pidgeotto, create some space, blow everyone back from Charmander!" I directed and she soared forwards with a battle cry.

"Pidgeo!"

"Pikachu, use your Thundershock on Dodrio, Vine Whip on Poliwrath, Water Gun on Onix and Charmander, direct your Flamethrower at Weepinbell!" Suddenly several streams of attacks burst forwards as Pidgeotto dived down in the middle of the fray then blasted a large space then landed over Charmander, shielding him with her wings.

Pikachu sprang forwards then tensed up as he summoned a Thundershock. "Pika…CHUUUUU!" It hit the Dodiro and sent it flying backwards, groaning as it hit the earth then remained down for the moment.

"Drio…" It groaned, the three heads tangled in one another.

"Bulbasaur!" The little dinosaur Pokémon shot its vines out at the Poliwrath as it leaped for Pikachu, whose ears had twitched towards it. The whips slapped across the Poliwrath's face, causing good damage then the vines wrapped around its body, securing it down.

Charmander leaped off the rock also, tucking itself up then a stream of fire shot out towards the Weepinbell and it only just managed to get out the way. The Onix slammed its tail down on the ground, trying to hit Squirtle but the quirky little Pokéman tucked up into its shell and spun, avoiding the blow then spread out again, shooting a jet of water at its face, making it rear back and groan loudly. The men all cried out in fear and tried to order their Pokémon, but most of them were either under attack or immobilised.

"Bulbasaur, leach seed on that Poliwrath then on the Onix, Squirtle, hit it again with Water Gun!" I shouted directions as I remained on the rise, keeping watch over everything. Suddenly the Primeape leaped forwards and used Mega Punch on Pikachu, throwing him backwards. "Pikachu!" I yelled in fear. "Pidgeotto help him out then use Twister!" Pidgeotto rose up in the air with one flap then dove down, narrowing her eyes as Primape tried to go for another blow against Pikachu who gasped.

"Pi?"

"Primeape!" The Pokémon yelled and I watched with worry as the blow came closer and closer. Then without warning Pidgeotto zoomed between them, snatching Pikachu away then banked back around and used Twister, trapping Primeape in a spiralling vortex.

"Alright!" I cheered as Ash's Charmander took out the Weepinbell and the Onix collapsed, finally finished by both Squirtle and Bulbasaur.

"Hey this isn't fair!" One of the men yelled. "You're using multiple Pokémon at the same time! That's cheating!" I leaped off the rise then landed with a grunt but quickly stood up.

"You were about to beat up my Charmander with six Pokémon, I think the odds were very fair, don't you?" I challenged then ran to Charmander as the others all crowded around too. "Charmander! Are you okay?" I worried, lifting him up into my arms. "Please tell me you're alright!"

"Char…" He looked up at me with watery eyes, though they were sparkling slightly. He smiled then touched my face, gently rubbing my cheek and I smiled to him before hugging him closer.

"I've got you now, it's going to be alright." I promised him softly then looked around as the other men started calling back their Pokémon. Now they stood before me, looking seriously angry but I wasn't afraid.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu crackled with electricity as he stood in front of us, ready to battle again.

"If you think you're so tough, then you won't mind one more challenge." The leader smirked then arched an eyebrow. "Go Machamp!" My eyes widened in horror as the fighting type Pokémon was let out and instantly it shouted proudly, clenching the fingers on all four hands.

"Machamp!" This means trouble.

"Machamp, using its heavy muscles, it throws powerful punches that can send the victim clear over the horizon." Oh gee, that makes me feel way better. Thanks Dexter. Swallowing slightly I looked down to Charmander who was shivering slightly in my arms.

"So little girl, which of your brave Pokémon will face my champion fighter? This is a proper match, so you're only allowed to use one at a time. If it fails then I get _all_ of your Pokémon." He told me and I glared at him.

"Not all of them are my Pokémon, some of them belong to my friends. They're just here because we noticed Charmander had gone missing so we went looking. You can't make me battle and I definitely would never agree to those terms!" I shouted back to him and he smirked.

"Too much of a baby, I see. Fine. We'll pummel your Pokémon anyway and finish you off in the process. How does that sound?" I gasped and turned around to face the others.

"Run for it!"

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed with a yelp, racing off as I grabbed Squirtle, who was the slowest of us all and Pidgeotto grabbed Ash's Charmander. We ran away back towards the cliff to find the road, but when a large rocky rail slammed into the ground in front of us, I cried aloud and we all stopped, looking to the Onix who towered even taller than the last one!

"Ha, nice try kid." The Onix's trainer smirked. "But you're not going anywhere. Bind them up!" Onix began to curl its tail around us all and I gasped, looking to the others as Pidgeotto flew around us, calling out with worry. Seeing no other option, I hugged Charmander one last time then shouted.

"Alright! I'll battle you!" Someone snapped their fingers and Onix's tail let us go, though he blocked off our escape still. Panting heavily I licked my lips then looked down to the others, who all looked drained from the tight squeeze. I touched Pikachu's head to get his attention. "Hey little buddy, could you all look after Charmander for me? I'll only be a moment." I promised him and he nodded.

"Pikachu." He nudged my hand then held onto Charmander as I put him down.

"Char…!" He tried to get up but the others held him down, trying to soothe him as I stood up.

"Alright Pidgeotto, let's go!" I called and she flapped her wings with an angry call of agreement. With Pidgeotto, at least I'll have the type, experience and speed advantage. I stepped forwards and faced Machamp, who crackled all of his knuckles as its trainer laughed.

"You will never forget this battle, little girl, I promise you. Remember my name, it's Emile of the Black Fang Gang. I hope it will give you nightmares forever after." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"You're sick and twisted, that's what you are! I'm gonna pound you so hard you'll never even want to have kids of your own! Pidgeotto, let's kick things off with Twister!" I shouted and she flew forwards.

"Machamp, use Karate Chop!"

"Watch out Pidgeotto, fly high to avoid being hit!" I called and she instantly banked higher as Machamp lunged forwards, aiming to land a blow. Pidgeotto got out of the way in time then whipped up a Twister, wrapping up Machamp who flinched from the attack, draining some of its energy. "Keep it up Pidgeotto! Now use Peck!" She dove down and Emile then smirked.

"Machamp, use Smack Down!" My eyes widened in horror. Smack Down was a rock type move, which would be super effective against Pidgeotto! Before I could even call out an order, Machamp had leaped up into the air and was facing Pidgeotto, who startled in surprised.

"Maaaachaaaamp!" Machamp slammed his lower fists down onto Pidgeotto, who cried out from the hit them tumbled down, breaking the Twister.

"No! Pidgeotto!" I cried out and ran forwards, hardly hearing the others as they called out.

"Pikachu! Pika!" I leaped up then extended my arms, catching Pidgeotto before she could be seriously injured. She smacked into me and I grunted, though by breaking her fall I saved her from breaking any bones.

"Pidgeotto? Are you okay?" I whispered to her softly and she looked at me briefly before nodding her head.

"Pidgeo…" She chirped softly then rubbed my face with her beak.

"Okay. Do you still have some fight left or shall we withdraw? I don't want you getting hurt, Pidgeotto. You mean too much to me." In answer she got up and flexed her wings, though she stumbled slightly. Looking up to the Machamp, who had a grin as sickening as its trainer, I took a deep breath. "Okay Pidgeotto, let's try again!" I called out as confidently as I could and she flapped her wings, taking off into the air again. "Use Sand-Attack!"

Instantly she kicked up a plume of sand, throwing it in Machamp's face and he growled in irritation, closing his eyes as he lost sight of Pidgeotto. "Great! Now use…" But Pidgeotto had already dived. The edges of her wing glowed a reddish colour and she slammed into Machamp, knocking him backwards as she soared upwards into the sky again.

"Pidgeo!" She cheered, narrowing her eyes in concentration.

"You learned Wing Attack?" I blinked then beamed. "Brilliant! Fly into the sun Pidgeotto! Now that its higher, we can use it to blind Machamp. Use Wing Attack again!" She dove downwards and I saw Emile growl.

"You useless Pokémon! Grab that bird and use Vital Throw!" Machamp turned but before he could even shield his eyes from the light, Pidgeotto had struck him back with her wing, slamming into him and he groaned.

"Yes Pidgeotto! Keep hitting him like that, now use Quick Attack to get an extra hit in!" I shouted up to her.

"Vital Throw! I said Vital Throw!" Emile bellowed and Machamp turned around, trying to find Pidgeotto but she kept on hitting out of nowhere, using her speed to strike him out before he could even move. "Ugh, concentrate you idiot!" Emile roared, steam practically pouring out of his ears as the team behind me began to cheer.

"Pika Pika!"

"Bulbasaur!"

"Char! Char! Char!"

"Squirtle!" Pidgeotto called out in answer then shot upwards, twisting with her wings tucked in before spreading them out elegantly, looking down to Machamp who was on his knees. I smirked then clenched one fist threw the other directed to Machamp. "Finish this off Pidgeotto! Use Wing Attack one last time!"

"Pidgeo!" She called out then took a steep dive, aiming directly for Machamp. I watched with anticipation, eyes widening the closer she got, but then it all went wrong. Machamp suddenly sprung upwards and tackled Pidgeotto, knocking the wind from her then gripped her wing to spin her around.

"No!" I screamed in fear, taking a step forwards but one of the men grabbed my arms and pinned them behind my back. "Don't! Please!"

"Finish it Machamp." Emile smirked, smoothing back his purple hair with satisfaction. Machamp lifted Pidgeotto up into the air then as he landed, slammed her into the ground. I felt pain rip through me and I cried out at the brutal torture.

Pidgeotto twitched then went still, though I could still see the rise and fall of her chest, signalling she was still alive. Thank goodness. "Now Machamp…rip off its wings." Emile instructed and I gasped as Machamp smirked.

"Machamp." He nodded then gripped onto Pidgeotto.

"No!" I yelled then stamped my foot onto my captor, forcing him to let me go then stepped forwards to spring up and twist, swinging my foot across his face then as I landed, drew out Pidgeotto's Pokéball. "Return!" Before any damage could be done, she was dematerialised and shot back into the Pokéball. "You did wonderfully." I whispered to her then yelled in anger as I was captured again. "Let me go! Let me go before I beat you all up to little specks!"

"You've got some spirit for just a kid." Emile told me, smirking still. "Now, are we going to have some real fun? Machamp, select your next victim." Machamp started forwards but then something darted forwards then stood before the towering Pokémon.

"Charmander!" Charmander, not Ash's, my Charmander, faced Machamp with seemingly no fear, its tail flickering brightly as he tensed its body ready to battle.

"No Charmander! It's too risky. That Machamp is far too strong!" I warned but Charmander merely continued to stare down the Machamp.

"Ha..haha…haha…HA!" Emile scorned. "That puny little lizard is going to actually challenge my Machamp? Oh this is priceless!" Wiping a fake tear from his face Emile then stretched his hand out towards Charmander. "Use Vital Throw, Machamp, give this pest a lesson it will never forget."

"Machamp!" It answered then began to race forwards, arms lifted and ready to use. Charmander looked back to me, waiting. All of a sudden it clicked, he was waiting for my direction. Waiting to listen to _me_. I could have cried, really I could, but things were a little pressing at the moment.

"Alright Charmander! Use Flamethrower whilst leaping up into the air! Use your smaller size to avoid that hunk of muscle!" I called out and Charmander nodded then leaped up just in time, directing his mouth downwards and shot out a plume of hot flames.

"Chaaaar!" His little voice rang and I beamed.

"Alright!" Machamp leaped back from the attack as Charmander landed in front of me, glaring stubbornly. "Okay, now use Growl, give it all you've got!" Charmander arched his back and sucked in a deep breath as Emile shouted another order, but before Machoke could move a deep bellied roar emitted from Charmander, causing it to startle backwards and loose some of its attacking power. "Now Flamethrower!"

Charmander struck with another fire attack, this time leaving Machoke with a burn though he continued forwards and used Mega Punch, which landed a hit on the small Pokémon. "Char!" I gasped, watching helplessly as the blow landed but I managed to break free and run forwards to catch him in time.

"Charmander?" He blinked blearily, looking up at me then smiled.

"Char…" Then his body flickered a different colour. Blinking I watched as he glowed bright silver.

"Charmander! You're…you're evolving?" I set him down on his feet then took a step back, watching as his body began to grow taller and a horn protruded on his head, angled backwards and his claws grew in length. "You're…a Charmeleon!" I smiled with joy as Charmeleon appeared, snapping his jaws then shouted to the sky in a much more ferocious voice than before.

"Char!" Suddenly Machamp's fist came swinging but Charmeleon sensed it, glancing back with an angry look then sprung upwards, letting Machamp hit the ground with its solid body. "Chaaaarmeleon!" He snarled then consumed Machamp in another bout of Flamethrower.

"Nice hit! Okay, now use Scratch!" I called. "Keep him down Charmeleon but be careful of his arms!" Charmeleon ignored this order, however, and his claws began to glow ever so slightly. "Hey, do you know Slash now? Even better! Let's do this!" I cheered. "Slash!" Charmeleon used Slash and Machoke groaned, trying to get up but Charmeleon landed on his back, knocking him down once more then sprang off again. "Char!"

"Get up Machamp! Use Seismic Toss!" Machamp struggled to his feet and started towards Charmeleon but I countered the order.

"Charmeleon, jump up onto those rocks then use Flamethrower one more time!" Charmeleon jumped backwards easily enough, the power in his legs carrying him high up into the air and Machamp crashed into the rocks, groaning as he sustained more damage. He sucked in a breath then blew a twisting inferno downwards, consuming Machamp one last time until finally, he clamped his mouth shut then glared downwards.

Machamp was frozen in place, charred black and a face that was pinched into place until finally, he crumbled back to the ground. "Argh! You stupid Pokémon, get up!" Emile shouted as I leaped up into the air in victory.

"Yeah! Go Charmeleon! We did it!"

"Char." He nodded his head then folded his arms across his chest proudly.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu paraded proudly until the Onix growled and they all fell silent. Folding my arms I glared at Emile.

"Now let us all go. You're just a sad bully who needs some serious discipline." Emile glared at me, going bright red in anger, his hair standing up on end before finally, he exploded.

"ARGH! Send all your Pokémon out and get them!" I gasped and instantly drew back, kneeling down and held the others to me as they crowded close, watching as several new Pokémon appeared. Charmeleon leaped down and stood in front of us protectively, glancing around. I wish Pidgeotto were well enough to fly, then I could send her for help.

Pikachu's cheeks sparked and he lowered his stance, preparing to run at a Victreebell as Charmander cuddled into me. Bulbasaur extended his whips, preparing to strike as Squirtle held onto my backpack, glancing around nervously.

"Hey!" A voice yelled and I gasped. I knew that voice! I hated it, but I was never so happy to hear it. "Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" Gary suggested with an easy smirk, arching an eyebrow as he stood side facing on, his gang of cheerleaders just behind him. Instantly my face fell. Oh great, they're here too.

"Gary, Gary he's the one! He's so great you'll want to run!" What? Where'd they come up with that one? Still, I was glad to see him.

"Why don't you leave my friends alone, then I won't hurt you." He said and Emile laughed.

"Another spunky punk. Looks like we're getting a decent breakfast today boys, let's dig in!" My eyes widened as all attention turned to Gary.

"Gary watch out!" I called but he only winked at me. Wait a second. He winked? At ME! Ew that is weird. Onix uncurled from around us and instantly I grabbed everyone in one way or another. "Come on let's get to high ground!" I called. "Charmeleon!" He hissed then followed, bounding up the rocks then stood with us as Gary sent out a Pokémon.

"Go Nidoking!" Wow, Nidoking! That little guy I met at the restaurant sure grew up fast. A great purple beast of a Pokémon appeared then roared, glaring at all the other Pokémon who drew back slightly. "Use Earthquake." Instantly I felt the earth tremble and I fell backwards, several Pokémon landing on me also as I yelped.

A shell dug into my stomach and several paws and claws also, which made me groan. "People need to stop landing on me." I struggled to get up then looked over to see Nidoking still standing, though most of the other Pokémon had fainted. That was some power…

"Charmeleon!" I rested my hand on Charmeleon's back o stop him from joining the fight.

"No, stay here. Just in case we need to be protected." I said to him gently, though really I just didn't want him down there where he could be affected by the attack of the Nidoking. Nidoking used Venoshock on Onix and then a Rock Tomb on a Fearow, which took it out instantly. This was insane, could a Pokémon ever become that powerful? It was taking on at least eight Pokémon all by itself!

"Woah! Let's get out of here!" The gang members yelled as they retreated, returning their Pokémon before legging it out there. Gary laughed then folded his arms over his chest proudly.

"Yeah, you better run. See you later!" He waved mockingly to them then nodded to Nidoking. "Nice work, we sure showed them." Then he looked at me. I was so in shock that when I started at the sudden eye contact, my hand slipped and I tumbled forwards off the side of the road.

"Agh!" I yelped and the Pokémon all yelled.

"Pika Pi!" I felt something grip my wrist and I blinked to see Charmeleon holding onto me, eyes clenched shut as he tried to support my weight. Charmander and Pikachu gripped onto my sleeve, trying to haul me back up from this rather high vantage point I had stupidly selected.

"Agh! Help me back up! Hurry!" I panicked, giving Squirtle and Bulbasuar my other hand and they tried to pull. My feet scrambled against the cliff face, and slowly, I began to move back up. But then, as my luck goes, my foot slipped and I crashed into the side, Charmeleon lost my grip and I tumbled down. I screamed out loud, clenching my eyes tightly shut as Pikachu yelled.

"Pika!" I tumbled down and I prepared for the impact, which would seriously hurt but hopefully not kill me. Though as my luck would have it, I wouldn't be too sure. I clamped my mouth tightly shut to stop myself from screaming then braced, praying I would at least be knocked out so I couldn't feel anything.

Suddenly I felt myself land, though it wasn't the kind of landing I expected. I actually fell _into_ someone's arms and they broke my fall almost too easily, which made me frown then slowly open my eyes. Gary looked down at me with a soft smirk, though there was also half a kind smile there too and I blinked, kind of in a daze.

No, just no. Please, kill me now. I change my mind. Dying wouldn't be such a bad idea. GARY OAK JUST CAUGHT ME IN HIS ARMS! Argh! He was never going to let me forget this, this is so embarrassing! "Ugh…thanks?" I offered then blushed deeply before scrambling to leap out of his arms.

"No problem, you're lucky I was driving by." He said to me. "We were on our way to the next city for another gym badge." He then frowned at me, noticing the empty spaces on my rucksack. "Where are yours?" I shrugged.

"I gave them back. I've decided not to be a trainer anymore." I answered then looked up as Gary's face dropped in shock. "Come on down guys! It's all safe!"

"Pika Pi!" Suddenly my eyes widened.

"No! I didn't mean jump! WARGH!" They all landed on me, Pikachu first who cheered happily but then the rest. Squirtle showered me down with a Water Gun as Bulbasaur tickled me with his Vine Whip and Charmander and Charmeleon jumped up and down on me, though Charmeleon then hopped off and helped me sit up to throw his arms around me. "Char…"

"Oh!" I blinked in surprise then smiled happily as I hugged him back. "You were so awesome, and really brave!" I complimented and he merely hugged me tighter.

"Char…Charmeleon…"

"I know, I'm sorry too. I guess the others were right and I was spoiling you just a little too much." I answered, drawing back to look at him. "But I'm going to do better, I promise. We'll be a proper team from now on, you listen to me…and I'll listen to you too." Charmeleon nodded his head then licked my face, making me squeal and giggle.

"Your Charmeleon looks great." Gary said to me. "So why aren't you going to be a trainer anymore?" I stood up slowly, getting the others off me one by one.

"Well, I don't _really_ think I have what it takes to get my Pokémon and myself to the big leagues. I just can't push them like you or Ash could, I mainly just want to play with them." I blushed slightly with embarrassment. "And because I've decided that I want to start a Pokémon Sanctuary Operation, where I can take care of all abandoned and hurt Pokémon properly until I can return them to the wild or find them new trainers." Gary blinked at me then smiled.

"I think that's a great idea. I bet grandpa would love it too. He'll sure help you in whatever way he can." He smirked then winked at me. "And I will too." I blinked at him then scowled, ignoring the embarrassed blush on my cheeks.

Charmander and Charmeleon locked heads, resuming their usual stare down though Charmeleon was just a little bit taller now. "Hey guys, can't you two just get along?" I planted my hands on my hips and gave them a stern look. "Save your rivalry for a later date, we've gotta get back to Ash and the others." Suddenly I found myself being scooped up by massive arms and I yelped slightly before laughing. "Hi Nidoking! You've grown up a lot since I last saw you." I noted and he smiled broadly.

"Nido! Nidoking!" He chanted then slathered his tongue all over me, making me shriek with laughter.

"No! No stop it! Haha, Nidoking that tickles! Ew!" Eventually he put me down and I stood absolutely covered in saliva. "Yuck, thanks a lot." I grinned up at him and Nidoking grinned poudly as Gary chuckled.

"He's sure taken with you. Nidoking, return." Gary summoned him back and the moment he was gone, Squirtle shot a shower of water over me, hosing me off and I shivered as the cold began to settle into my bones.

"T-t-thanks b-b-buddy." Charmander and Charmeleon looked at one another. Wait a second, I know that look. "Don't-!" Too late. They shot a gulf of fire at me and dried me off, though now I was frizzy haired, a little worse for ware and quite overheated now. "You guys are all great." I told them blankly and they rubbed their heads guiltily. I guess they were only trying to help.

"So are you all okay? They didn't hurt you, right?" Gary asked but then one of his cheerleaders called out.

"Come on Gary! Your fourth badge is waiting!" I shot her a look, annoyed by her rudeness then glared slightly at Gary who glanced back.

"We're fine. We had quite an awesome battle until you showed up, and we would have taken them all on again if you hadn't come barging in wanting to show off as usual." I lifted my chin then stepped around him. "Come on guys, we should still be in time for breakfast."

"Hey Rubes, wait!" Gary called and took a step after me but I whirled around and shouted, getting right in his face.

"My name is not Rubes! It's RUBY!" Gary blanched slightly then scowled, placing his hands on his waist before scoffing.

"Whatever. See you around. Tell Ash that he should really hurry up already, he's still lagging behind." He walked away then paused, looking back with a malicious look on his face. "I should have known you would have been the first to give up, you were just the same in school. Could never stand up for yourself to anyone and never saw anything through to the end." My mouth dropped open then I looked down with hurt. Guess he was right.

"Pikachu!" Static crackled at Pikachu's cheeks but I sighed as he went to shock Gary.

"Don't Pikachu." I turned and walked away. "He's not worth it."

"Pi?" He looked at me then raced to follow, climbing up then settled on my shoulder, poking my face. "Pikachu? Pika Pika." I gave a smile.

"I'm okay, Gary doesn't bother me. He's always been like that. I'm just tired I guess and you guys must be exhausted. We'd better get back to camp before the others assume I've run off and stolen you guys." Smiling a little brighter I began to run. "I'll race you!"


	16. Chapter 16

We got back to camp before anyone had even woken up. I got back to my sleeping back and crashed out, not even bothering to climb in. One by one the Pokémon all fell on me, exhaling as they then fell asleep. "Ugh…fine." I groaned, letting them crush me. At least I knew where the road to Vermillion City was now, it was literally only twenty minutes away to the city. Wish we'd known that last night otherwise we would have avoided this whole fiasco by just continuing on after dark. Still, what's done is done and the washing is on the line. As mom used to say.

When we woke up, I had an awkward time explaining why my Charmander was now a Charmeleon and why everyone was pretty wiped out. At first Ash was frustrated I hadn't woken him to join the fight, but then he was just an excited kid, sitting in front of me and asking me to go over it again like it was story time, telling me to focus on how awesome his Pokémon were.

Even on the road he was asking me to go over details and I, being too tired to tell him to be quiet, simply gave him the answers he wanted. However when he asked for the millionth time how awesome his Squirtle was in attacking the Onix, I smacked up upside the head.

"Will you get your head out the clouds and look where you're going?!" I yelled at him. "Try and fill that big head of yours with some sort of sense!" Drawing back with an unimpressed look I gestured to the city that we had just arrived at.

"Ah! Oh I can't wait to take a bubble bath!" Misty gasped and everyone looked at Vermillion's City splendour with relief.

"I can't wait to get some decent sleep!" I moaned, falling to my knees with a sigh of relief.

"I'm gonna find the Vermillian City Gym, right now!" Ash crowed then ran forwards but both Brock and I grabbed his jacket and held him back.

"Hold it!" Brock called and Ash looked back in confusion.

"Huh?" Brock rolled his eyes then pointed down to Pikachu, who collapsed on the ground with exhaustion and hungriness. "What's the matter?" Ash asked, scooping him up and I groaned. "Pikachu?" Misty looked at it sympathetically.

"It must be hungry."

"We haven't eaten anything decent for three days now." I stood up and nodded my head.

"I vote we go get something to eat." I suggested and Misty nodded her head in agreement as Ash looked down at Pikachu.

"Hey Pikachu, you feeling hungry little buddy?" In answer his own stomach growled and he blinked before blushing slightly then laughed. "I guess we're all a little hungry, hey Pikachu?"

"Pika." He nodded wearily and I shot Ash a blank look.

"Only a little?" I questioned then head inside. "Come on let's go, we'll find the Pokémon centre too." I suggested. "We'd better heal our Pokémon first, we can take care of ourselves later." Brock nodded his head and followed.

"I agree." We got directions from someone in the street then found our way to the smart Pokémon Centre with bright red walls, though when we went inside we were surpised to find _another_ Nurse Joy, who looked exactly the same as all the others! Was this a new thing now?

"I know why you're surprised, I look like all the other Nurse Joys' don't I?" She questiond with a smile. "My first cousin works in Pewter City and my second cousin works in Viridian City. I think I'm the prettiest one, don't you?" She joked then gave a tinkling laugh.

"Yeah." Brock agreed but before he could spout off into a dramatic love declaration, the doors opened up and a kid came rushing in with a Chansey nurse and a Rattata laying on the bed completely unconscious.

"Hurry! You'll be okay Rattata. Hurry!" The boy called out again then rushed into the Emergency Room. We all stared after it and I felt sorry for the little guy.

"That Rattata is in bad shape." Brock noted aloud. "I wonder what happened." Nurse Joy stood up then put her hands on her hips with annoyance.

"Oh that's the fifteenth one brought in this month."

"What?" We all chorused and Joy nodded.

"Come and see, I'll show you." She led us to the recovery room where rows of Pokémon lay on beds, children and trainers gathered around them waiting for their recovery. Blinking I looked to a fainted Pidgey and instantly felt terrible. Who did this?

"This is terrible." Brock gasped.

"They all lost to Luitenant Surge, the Vermillian Gym Leader." Ash stared at the Rattata who had just been rushed in with slight worry on his face.

"Whoa, he must be a great trainer." He said and Misty gave him a piercing look.

"So, Ash, you scared already?" She questioned with a slight smirk and I chuckled. She really enjoyed irritating him, didn't she?

"No way!" Ash argued so she turned and lifted her chin proudly.

"Well you talk big, but when you see how tough it is to get badges then you turn chicken. Maybe you should just quit now. Besides, the badges you do have you only got out of pity." I shot Misty a grin and she winked at me as Ash rose up to her challenge.

"A badge is a badge!" He argued hotly but Misty merely reached out and flicked his nose sharply. "Ow!"

"Why don't you just prove how tough you are at the Vermillion Gym?" Misty suggested, crossing her arms as she looked challengingly at Ash. Brock looked around the recovery room before interrupting as Ash growled at Misty.

"From the looks of things you'd have to be tough to challenge Luitenant Surge." He noted and I grinned.

"You mean rock tough?" I answered then punched his shoulder. "Do you think your Pokémon could take this Surge guy on?" He shot me a proud look, turning to face me.

"Sure they could! My Pokémon are the toughest around!" I smirked then folded my arms towards Misty.

"Oh I don't know, this guy looks pretty hard to beat. Almost impossible." Ash blinked then lost some of his bravado, face falling slightly.

"You think he's that tough?" Misty leaned forwards and placed her hands on her waits, glaring threateningly at Ash as he leaned back slightly to get away.

"We gave you badges you know. How do you think we'll look if you get crushed by Surge?" She has a point, you know.

"You have nothing to worry about! Except maybe seeing my incredibly strength!" Ash yelled back then went to punch her in the shoulder but Nurse Joy stepped in and smartly placed her hand over Ash's to stop him.

"Alright that's enough!"

"She started it." He accused instantly but Nurse Joy gave them both a stern look, which read they were both in the wrong.

"Remember, this is a _hospital_." She told them as they looked around to see all the trainers glaring at them and their loud argument. Nurse Joy then tried to make things a little better, but really, she only made things worse. "You know, they say when two people fight, they really care about each other."

"Me care about him?" Misty yelled as Ash said pretty much the same thing. With a humph of pride they both turned their back on one another, making Nurse Joy giggle and I just rolled my eyes.

"Honestly." Just then a bell rang and she looked up before smiling.

"That signal means your Pokémon are recovered." She told us then led us all to where our Pokéballs lay, Pikachu sitting beside them and munching happily into some food. Ash brightened when he saw his buddy then rushed forwards.

"Pikachu!"

"Pi?" Pikachu looked up then stood.

"I hope you're full because we're going to win big at that gym today." Ash started then struck a confident pose. "Come on, let's go win a badge!" Just then another kid trainer came rushing in, only this time it was a Pidgey on the hospital bed.

"Please hurry! Just hold on Pidgey!" As they rushed past, Misty hummed.

"I guess they must have come from that gym." With a sigh I shook my head.

"That makes sixteen in one month." I added but then saw how Pikachu reacted, leaping up and waggling his legs quickly in fear.

"Pi! Pikachu Pikachu!" He shook his head and Ash leaned a little closer.

"What? Don't be a coward!" Ash glared at Pikachu who instantly began to make movements with his arms as he spoke.

"Pika…Pikachu!"

"Huh? Don't I even care if you'll end up like that Pidgey in there?" Ash questioned, voicing Pikachu's concerns. "Is that it?"

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu nodded his head with a shrill, worried voice and I sighed sympathetically. Knowing Ash, not even Pikachu's reluctance will stop him.

"Yeah…I gues you're right." His shoulders slumped and he looked down as Pikachu relaxed and sighed with relief. The relief was short lived as Ash suddenly beamed then grabbed Pikachu's hand. "No problem!" Ash cheered, trying to march off but Pikachu gripped onto the side of the bed desperately. "You won't end up that way because you'll win!"

"Pikachu!" He wailed and I placed my hands on my hips, giving Ash an unimpressed look.

"Don't be a scaredy-cat Pikachu!" He turned back and shot Pikachu a look, but before I decided to grab Ash by the ear or something, I waited for Pikachu to do what I guessed he would. He lit Ash up like a Christmas tree, sending a sharp bolt of electricity into his body before stopping.

"The way they fight must mean they care a lot." Misty said as I strode forwards and grabbed Ash by the scruff of his jacket to yank him away.

"Okay mister Pokémon Master, let's find you some ice because you're a little too warmed up right now." I let him go once we were out of the Pokémon Centre then waited for the others.

"I've gotta win a badge! It's the only way I can get into the Pokémon League!" Ash told me so I smacked him upside the head.

"Would you just calm down? You can't go into a battle all steamed up like this. You have to keep calm so that you can think straight." I shot him a dark look. "If you can even think at all." Just then Misty and Brock came out with Pikachu and their Pokémon, though mine were already clipped onto my belt. "You guys all go to the gym, I'm going to catch up on some sleep then get supplies for us all to continue our journey. I'll meet you back here in the evening okay?" I said and Misty nodded.

"See you later! Come on Ash, I can't wait to see you get your butt kicked." I laughed then waved to them as they head off.

"Good luck Ash!" With that, I went back into the Pokémon centre, found somewhere quiet then crashed out into sleep.

* * *

Waking up a few hours later I yawned, stretched and then took a bath. It felt so nice to be clean again! Once I felt like a decent, hygienic human being again I head out into town and bought a loud of supplies from the shared pot we had put together.

I bought a few extras of essentials, just to make sure we would have spares and enough to last then head back to the Pokémon Centre. I had just made it to the doors when I saw Ash and the others running up to us. Instantly I smiled.

"Hey Ash! Did you win?" I questioned and he beame, instantly whipping out his badge to show me.

"You bet I did!" The Thunder Badge gleamed in his hand and I beamed at him proudly.

"That's great! Though I'm surprised you only got back just now. Did you have to wait for a battle with this guy?" I asked, entering with everyone but Ash shook his head.

"No, turns out Surge had a Raichu, which at first totally knocked us out, right Pikachu?" Pikachu nodded his head as he walked proudly alongside us.

"Pika!"

"But then we came up with a new stragedy." Brock explained as we contined to the waiting area where we could settle down for the time being. "Surge let slip that he'd evolved his Pikachu the moment he got it, so it didn't learn any of its speed attacks like Agility. We then used that to our advantage and Pikachu was able to avoid being hit until Raichu had run out of electricity." I laughed.

"That's great! I'm proud of you Pikachu, I bet you were awesome!" I tickled his belly as I said this, making him squeal adorably. "I'll be sure to watch you next time you fight, I promise."

"So what did you get?" Ash asked, trying to take a peak at my bags. "Any food?" I smacked him upside the head as he tried to dive into the supplies. "Hey!"

"No peaking. Wait your turn." I told him sharply then began to list off the things I had bought. "I've stocked us up on Super Potions, Antidote, Paralyse Heal and Burn Heals and also made sure to get a few extra Pokéballs for everyone because I know Ash was getting a little low. I've also got all the things on that list you gave me Brock and Misty, I made sure to get you your shampoo but it was on offer, so I got two instead." Her eyes sparkled at me. "There's also suncream, soap, a new line to put up our washing because the other one mysteriously snapped, rubber gloves to do the washing because you boys always complain about getting wrinkly hands and all other things we'll need."

I handed bags out as I said this, letting everyone stock up on their supplies before seeing to my own. "Hey, what's this?" Ash asked as he pulled out some spray. "Is it Repel? I don't need Repel! I want to _catch_ Pokémon." I rolled my eyes at him.

"No you doofus, its deodorant." I answered him simply as I began to rearrange my stuff carefully.

"What about this?" He picked up a smaller spray and I grinned.

"Oh that? That's just some breath spray, because your breath always stinks in the morning." Misty burst into laughed, giggling in the seat as she sorted through her esentials whilst Ash's face deadpanned at me.

"Gee. Thanks."

"You're welcome!" I trilled then looked at Pikachu. "I got you something too, want to see?" Pikachu nodded his head excitedly then ran up my arm to settle on my shoulder. I giggled as he leaned forwards curiously.

"Pika Pi?" I pulled out the rubber ball and his eyes widened and sparkled brightly. "Chuuu!"

"Uh huh, because you fried my tennis ball." I laughed then threw it up into the air. Pikachu launched himself after it, catching it easily then landed on Brock's head, making us all laugh as he began to kick and header it, bounding around the place to chase it.

"Thanks Ruby, he loves it!" Ash laughed then tossed the ball for Pikachu as he brought it back to him. I smiled and nodded my head as I lifted my finger pointedly.

"I find that simple game time is a great way to improve the bond between you and your Pokémon. Also it provides exercise and a break from training where the Pokémon can simply enjoy life and spend quality time with their trainers." Brock nodded his head.

"Of course, people always forget that a strong bond is important to be effective in battle. Your Pokémon will be more willing to work harder for you if it cares enough for you and what you want." Ash caught Pikachu and beamed as he ruffled his head, laughing as he hugged his buddy.

"Me and Pikachu are best pals, aren't we buddy?"

"Pikachu!" He agreed then gave a little spark to show his affection. We all chuckled then joined everyone else staying at the Pokémon Centre for dinner then settled down for the night. I let both Charmeleon and Pidgeotto out for a stretch beforehand, though, letting them get some fresh air and proper food whilst watching the sun set on top of one of the buildings.

Charmeleon sat a little away from me, watching the sun and didn't pay me much attention, but that was okay. We'd crossed a huge hurdle in our relationship, I think he trusted me now. All I needed to do now was work on our friendship. Maybe if he liked me enough, he'd choose to stay with me.


	17. Chapter 17

Staring at all the beautiful cruise ships, I could hardly believe my eyes. They were all so big! Wouldn't it be great to cruise around the ocean, sunbathing and drinking coctails all day? It would be a sweet life.

"Pika!" Pikachu voiced my amazement as we all stared upwards.

"It's so beautiful!"

"Man, I'd love to cross the ocean on a ship like this!" Ash said as we stood in the shadow on one of the biggest ships I'd ever seen. It was…huge!

"Yeah, just imagine all the Pokémon we'd be able to see along the way." Brock said and Misty clapped her hands to her face in wide eyed wonder.

"For sure! Just imagine, sunbathing on deck all day…just a nice, long, relaxing cruise…" She dreamed but then Brock had to go and blow a hole through it.

"We could never afford a cruise like that."

"Ugh…" Her face slipped completely and she slumped forwards so I patted her back.

"Maybe one day Misty. Who knows, maybe we'll win something?" I suggested and she tossed me a bright smile.

"Maybe!" But the boys had already slumped over.

"Reality can really bum you out." I shook my head as we walked along, looking back up to the ship again one last time with longing until I walked into Brock's backpack, which was pretty solid and my face hurt after.

"Congratulations!" Two voices trilled.

"Ow…" I slid down, dazed by the impact.

"You guys are way lucky! You can go on a super deluxe sea cruise!" They danced before us, spinning around and I poked my head around the side with a frown. A what now? One of them, a redhead, leaped forwards and leaned close to us as she giggled. "Well it's like you know, we have these incredible super cool tickets for you!"

"Cool!" The blonde one agreed and I instantly got the impression that she wasn't the sharpest nail in the box, because that's all she said afterwards.

"These are tickets to the biggest party ever onboard the St Anne cruise liner!" Ash gasped.

"The famous St Anne?"

"Cool!" The blonde trilled as what I assumed to be her sister continued.

"The coolest ship on the sea! Everyone's going to be together and have like the coolest party!"

"Cool!"

"And the party is for Pokémon trainers only!"

"Cool!" Did she not have a dictionary that exceeded two syallables? Wow, this is just…do people like that really exist? No something wasn't right. These guys are here giving us free tickets to a super awesome party, what was the catch?

"So step this way! It'll be a radical party, all the most radical Pokémon trainers will be there!" Ash leaned a little closer to Misty.

"Do you know anyone who says 'radical' anymore?" She shook her head no.

"Okay dudes, here're your tickets!" I pushed everyone else aside then slipped forwards, eyeing the girl carefully.

"What's the catch?" I asked her cautiously. "My luck never lets me get off with free tickets to a cruise ship. So how much money do you want for them?" She giggled and it became the most annoying sound I had ever heard.

"Oh wow you like, don't understand! They're totally free!" And the way her voice shoots up the octave. That just hurts. "Totally free!" She repeated. "To-ta-ly free!"

"For free!" Ash beamed then frowned slightly too. "Why're you giving them away?"

"Well like, we have to go out with our boyfriends but we wanted to give our tickets to cool Pokémon fans." She explained and I blinked. So…no catch? Can it be true? Is my luck changing? Alright!

"Cool!" I mentally face palmed.

"We saw you and thought you looked really cool! Just take these and have a really cool time." She handed them to Ash who took them with a grin.

"Thanks a lot!"

"No sweat!" Her sister beamed then wriggled her foot on the floor.

"Cool!" Then with that they ran off. I hummed quietly, tapping my chin as I leaned into my hip.

"Does anyone else feel at all suspicious about this?" I asked but Ash was completely oblivious.

"Alright! This really is cool isn't it?" He lifted the tickets up high and I sighed. Why do I even bother? Oh well, let's go party! We all ran to go find the St Anne, looking at all the beautiful ships as Ash darted from side to side. "Maybe it's this one, or this one! This one's bigger. No this one!"

"Ash!" I yelled then whacked his head. "Use your eyes you moron!" I gripped his head then turned it to the side to look at a beautiful cruise liner with the words 'St Anne' painted in gold on the side. "Look like our boat to you?" He grinned.

"Yeah! Let's go!" He ran on ahead and I sighed. Excitable kid, still, great example. Let's go! We slowed down as we got to the top of the ramp and Ash showed our tickets to the porter, who bowed and let us inside.

"Welcome aboard the St Anne." He greeted and we all smiled to him. "This way." He gestured with his hand so we followed his direction towards an open glass door with a red carpet.

"Wow look at this!" Ash grinned as we looked inside to see a massive looby with chandeliers, ornate staircases and hundreds of people filling the room. My eyes sparkled and shone with Misty's as we looked at all the beauty of such a magnificent ship. There were stalls and tables of food, everyone showing off their Pokémon with pride.

"Oh it's so cute!" Misty breathed as we entered the thick throng.

"It's like a giant Pokémon convention!" Ash agreed as we continued to look around.

"Everyone's a Pokémon trainer!" We passed two kids showing off their Charmander and we stopped to look, but then another kid appeard to show how hard the shell of his Squirtle was. Ash smiled then clenched a proud fist.

"My Squirtle and my Charmander are much better than theirs are." He boasted and I rolled my eyes.

"Don't let your mouth get too big now Ash or you'll start a black hole." I said to him then looked around as a voice rang out.

"Alright! Bring 'em all!" Moving our way through, Ash charging ahead, we saw a battle taking place and I slipped my way to the front too, being quite small.

"Alright they're having a battle!" Ash cheered and I turned to watch the Starmie and Ratticate. The man with the Ratticate wore a top hat, some weird blue glasses and a smart suit with a cane, which he waved around as he sent an order out to his Pokémon.

"Ratticate, Super Fang attack now!" He called and before the boy could answer the attack, the Ratticate had clamped its fangs into the Starmie's jewel centre, pressing down and I gasped. The boy stood in shock. Why wasn't he calling for a Water Gun attack? That would shake that Ratticate off.

The Ratticate continued to bite down and as I watched, the jewel began to crack. "Stop!" I cried before I knew what I was doing, then ran forwards. "Call off your Ratticate, if it breaks that gem…" There was a sickening shattering crack as the jewel broke and the Ratticate leaped back, chomping its teeth together as the Starmie fainted.

"Will what, little girl? Break?" The man questioned and I whirled around to face him.

"Do you know how difficult it is to fix a Staryu or a Starmie's jewel? Sometimes they can never be mended you brute!" I shook a fist at him then looked to the boy who was holding his Pokémon to him.

"Aw don't feel too badly young man, it was only a practice match anyhow and I just happened to be lucky." I growled at him. That was a mean thing he did! He should have called off its Pokémon the moment the attack had been made, not allowed it to chew on the Starmie like it was its dinner!

Suddenly a beautiful lady in a gorgeous dress walked up then placed her hands over the top hat man. "My…how gracious!" She said to him and he smiled.

"Not at all miss." Then he turned back to the boy. "Keep working on building your Starmie's strength now."

"You bonehead! Aren't you going to at least apologise for what you did!" I yelled from the side as Ash held me back. The man looked to me with the same smile on his face.

"A battle's a battle little missy, sometimes Pokémon get hurt." I growled.

"Well then, let me hurt you!" I lashed out but Ash was doing pretty well at holding me back. The guy laughed then spread out his hand.

"Well now! Is anyone else brave enough to challenge my Ratticate?" Three guesses as to who spoke up next. Ash flung me to the ground and I landed with a grunt, spinning aroung to shoot him a glare. He leaped forwards and picked up one of his Pokémon from his belt, running to face the gentleman.

"I can't wait! How about battling my Butterfree?"

"As you wish." He answered with a sly look on his face. Ash released his Butterfree, who gave a pretty trill and I stepped back to Brock and Misty.

"I hope he knows what he's doing." Misty said and I scoffed.

"It's Ash. He always does things as he goes." I answered then watched as the gentleman ordered his Ratticate forwards.

"Ratticate! High Jump Kick!" The Ratticate sprung forwards and leaped up but Ash had already given his counter reply.

"Butterfree! Tackle!" The two sprang across the room then collided repeatedly, drawing lots of attention as they began to turn up the heat and battle harder to get the other knocked out of the sky.

"Does Ash's Butterfree even stand a chance?" Misty worried but Brock was smiling.

"Sure it's a good match really." Just then the gentleman gave his next order.

"Finish it off Ratticate, Hyper Fang attack!" I was starting to notice a pattern here. The gentleman always seemed to start with High Jump Kick then with either a Super or Hyper Fang. That's bad, it makes him predictable.

Ratticate jumped into the air but Butterfree easily shifted out of the way, turning to face Ratticate as it landed. "Butterfree! Stun Spore!" Ash called out and I smirked. A good choice, that will paralyse Ratticate and sure enough, as Butterfree sent down streams of mystical yellow dust, the Ratticate seized up and stopped moving. "Alright, now a Whirlwind!" Ash decided but then the gentleman picked up his Ratticate.

"That's enough. Why don't we just call it a draw?" He suggested then walked away.

"Huh?" Ash blinked in shock as the gentleman didn't turn back. "But I was winning." I slipped over and slung an arm around his neck.

"That, my friend, is what you call a sore loser." I explained with a bright grin. "He knew Ratticate would lose the moment you used Stun Spore, so he ended the match before you could claim victory." I told him then clapped my hands. "Nice going Butterfree, you were super excellent!"

"Freeeeee!" It trilled and I beamed up at it as it fluttered closer. Ash returned it after a nod and a thanks for its great effort but still looked pretty put up.

"Hey, how about we go eat something?" I suggested and Ash instantly perked up.

"Yeah! Let's eat!" He raced towards one of the tables and I shrugged towards Brock and Misty before following. We all dived in, shovelling as much food as we could into our mouths and I even slipped a few tasty treats away into my bag for the Pokémon later. Why shouldn't they get a taste of the action? I only didn't let them out now because it was so crowded. I didn't want Charmeleon's temper blowing off here.

I was halfway through my seventh helping of cheesecake when the gentleman came and interrupted us. "So are you having yourself a good time?" He asked, that beauty hanging off his arm.

"Yes sir, we're having a great time." Ash told him and we all stopped eating to look at him curiously. He was up to something. He had the same look I used to wear whenever I planned on sneaking out after curfew to play catch with Pidgey.

"You know that Butterfree of yours is quite extraordinary." He commented and I slowly put everything I was holding down, my eyes narrowing slightly. So that was his game? He's after Ash's Butterfree!

"It's incredible." The beauty murmured softly and I glanced to Brock to see him get that same dopey look, so I slapped his head.

"Snap out of it Brock." He jerked forwards and face planted the trifle, which instantly made me and Pikachu snort with laughter.

"Agh!" He waved his hands fretfully but then licked his own face, pausing to think before grinning. "Hmm! Delicious!" Then he began to practically eat himself.

"Well I put a lot of work into raising it." Ash was saying so I turned back to the conversation.

"What did you think of my Ratticate?" He asked and Ash politely gave a suitable answer.

"It looked really great! It put up a tough fight."

"In that case I'll be direct. Why don't we trade?" He suggested and instantly I glared at him with an unimpressed expression. Just because his Raticate wasn't strong enough to stand up to Butterfree does not mean that Ash had to trade it away. Besides, he wouldn't be _that_ dumb.

"Trade Pokémon?" He questioned.

"When two people find that they each like the other's Pokémon, they trade! It's quite a common practice everywhere!" He explained and Ash stood up with seeming interest.

"Everywhere?" Ash echoed and the gentleman leaned down and placed his hand on Ash's shoulder.

"You see, friends who trade then trade with their other friends and friendships grow deeper and continue to spread wider and wider. Trading and making new friends is one of the best things about having Pokémon!" I held my tongue, waiting to see what Ash would have to say about this, but there's no way I was going to let him trade away Butterfree. That Pokémon was special, and it was his first catch! "That's how Pokémon friendships get to spread all around the world."

"Wow…"

"Friendship is wonderful isn't it?" The beauty commented with a pretty smile. Brock beamed and nodded his head, staring at the woman as lights flashed in his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah! You and me should start a friendship right now!" He gushed, still staring and Misty and I shared a dull expression.

"Should I trade Brock?" Ash asked and I slapped my face. He was asking Brock of all people? Who was now too loved up to know what planet he was on?

"Oh yeah you gotta trade everybody should trade let's start trading."

"Well okay…"

"Hold it right there! Nobody move, don't even blink or breathe!" I yelled out, slamming my palms ouwards and shoved the gentleman and Ash away from one another before spinning to face my fellow Pallet Town-ian. "You think long and hard about this mister. That guy only wants your Butterfree because it's stronger than his Raticate. You've put a lot of work into raising Butterfree into the strong Pokémon it is today and it was your first catch! Are you really just going to… _dispose_ of him like that without even properly thinking it through?" I demanded then felt a cane rest on my shoulder.

"Now little lady, I don't think this is any of your business." I whipped around and grabbed the cane, wrenching it towards me then firmly delivered a high kick to his chest, sending him flying backwards when I let go of the cane.

"Do not interrupt me when I'm ranting!" I shouted then faced Ash again, who now looked terrified. "When you trade Pokémon, you have to be certain that the person your Pokémon is going to is going to give it the same level of love and care that you did, you don't even know this gentleman's name! You should never bow to peer pressure, it's completely irrational. That Butterfree trusts you more than anything in the world, are you really just going to give it away for some other Pokémon just because someone tells you to?" Ash stared at me, leaning backwards as I placed my hands on my hips.

"My dad once had a Pokémon, it was the first he ever caught and it was a Nidoran. However as it grew stronger, it began to get lots of attention. One day some other guy offered to trade what was apparently a rare Pokémon for Nido, my dad's Pokémon, and he agreed because he gave in to the pressure. What the Pokémon turned out to be was some dumb duck thing that kept on falling over." I rolled my eyes. "When he tried to find the guy again to get Nido back, he was gone. He lost his first Pokémon forever. Do you want to lose Butterfree forever?" Ash hung his head.

"I guess not." I sighed with relief then smiled.

"Good! Because if you had decided to trade, it would have still been your decision, but I would have absolutely _pounded_ you for doing such a stupid and dumb thing as that!" I grinned then jumped around, waving to the guy who was still collapsed on the ground. "Thank you! Goodbye for now! Keep on spreading that lovely friendliness!" I trilled then pushed everyone away, going over to a new food table to resume eating.

"That was awesome! How did you kick him like that?" Brock asked after I had smacked him again to wake him up from his daydream.

"Oh I used to train with my mom as a kid. She was a Battle Girl." I laughed and blushed a little. "I was quite a protégé you know!"

"I can tell. So you can fight like a master?" Ash asked me and I gave a shrug.

"Well, I can hold my own for sure. It's been a while since I've thrown some proper punches because I've been out on the road so long. Maybe next time we're in town, I'll show you guys a few moves!" I suggested and they all nodded with bright grins.

"Yeah! That would be awesome!"

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu took up a boxing pose then jabbed forwards rather neatly.

"Nice Pikachu! You're well on your way already." I complimented then stuffed some cake into my mouth and chewed happily. I was almost finished with a delicious berry pie when I heard the doors all slam closed and curtains be drawn across the windows and then the lights all cut out. Huh?"

Looking around in confusion everyone began to whisper with worry, looking around to try and see what was going on. I took a step back and stood on someone's foot. "Ow! Watch it!"

"Sorry Ash, I can't see you." I said, turning around but then bumped into someone else.

"Hey stop moving! You just elbowed me!" Misty grunted so simply stopped where I was. "What's going on?" As if in answer, a single beam of light appeared and shone down on two people at the top of a podium, their uniforms standing out obviously. "Oh no!"

"To protect the world from devestation!" Jessie chanted, pourdly standing above everyone else though James was slumped forwards, seemingly a little put out. What's up with him? And what are they wearing on their backs? They look like giant suction tubese or something.

"To unite all people within our nation." James continued though he didn't put any heart or effort into it.

"To denounce the evil of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above…" I almost felt sorry for the guy. Maybe spending all that time with Jessie was finally beginning to wear him down.

"Jessie."

"James."

"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light!" Jessie added and then James proceded to finish, though still there was no spirit. I was kind of disappointed.

"Surrender now or prepare to fight." Then Meowth bounded and I rolled my eyes, mouthing the words with him.

"Meowth that's right!" The lights came back on and I instantly looked around me to see Brock, Misty, Ash and Pikachu, which was a little more comforting.

"Team Rocket will now take possession of your Pokémon." Instantly people murmured in fear and my hands darted to my belt, taking off both Charmeleon and Pidgeotto's Pokéballs to then hug them into me, hiding them from view.

The waiters, who had all ripped off their uniforms to reveal themselves to be from Team Rocket, switched on their machines and began to suck in the Pokéballs from everyone on the ship, causing outcry as they lost their Pokémon.

Two Rocket grunts came over and actually _asked_ us for our Pokémon, though not very nicely. "Give me your Pokémon." He directed at Misty who clenched her fists and glared at him.

"No way!" Another came up behind us and jabbed Ash in the shoulder.

"Don't make me take them!" Ash whirled around and pointed with a flash of anger in his eyes.

"Pikachu!" The little Pokémon leaped up and with a powerful Thundershock, lit up that grunt who then crashed the ground, smoking slightly.

"Nice hit Pikachu." I said then looked at Ash who called out to everyone.

"If they're going to take our Pokémon, we might as well make it a battle!" People began to call out in agreement, nodding their heads.

"Yeah we can't just surrender!"

"Let's fight back!" Meanwhile I saw Jessie quite happily directing her vacuum tubes towards the trainers whilst chanting almost manically.

"Suck them up, suck them up, suck them all up!" Alright, time to join the fight! This is not going to end the way Team Rocket wants if _I_ have anything to do with it. Everyone stood behind Ash, who faced down Team Rocket seemingly without fear.

"We've gotta fight together!" Brock called and Ash sent Pikachu forwards.

"Pikachu go!" But then several other Pikachu raced forwards too and they leaped together, forming a row of four at the bottom then build up a pyramid, Ash's Pikachu at the top. Together they made a pretty impressive Thundershock, enough so that around ten grunts were taking out with quite a bang. "Charmander, I choose you!" Smirking I picked up both Pidgeotto and Charmeleon.

"Pokéball go!" I yelled and sent them forwards, catching the Pokéballs when they sprang back to me.

"Pidgeo!"

"Charmeleon!"

"Okay Pidgeotto, use your Gust to round up as many grunts as you can, fight against their suction packs to stop them taking the Pokéballs! Charmeleon, use Slash to open up their sacks to release the Pokémon and then use Flamethrower to send them running!" Both Pokémon chorused their names then leaped into the battle, other Pidgeotto joining with the attack but Charmeleon was on his own, though I don't think he minded.

"Geodude, go!" Brock yelled and I watched as his Geodude then linked hands with other Geodude and created an awesome spinning rock ring. They smashed into the Rocket grunts and sent them flying.

"Alright!" I punched then air then ran forwards, leaping over a Rattata towards a grunt who was shaking up a young girl.

"Give me your Pokémon you little rat!"

"Hey!" I yelled, balling my fist as I leaped up into the air. "Knock knock!" I punched him hard across the jaw, sending him flying as he let the girl go. I landed then lifted my knee, slamming it into another Rocket grunt's gut then gave a high jump kick to another.

"Woah! Look at Ruby go!" Brock said and I grinned before turning back to a Rocket who was running at me. I gripped his arm with both hands then wheeled him over my head, slamming him into the ground then turned to the girl.

"Tell your Nidoran to chew open the cases to let out all the Pokémon!" I said to her and she nodded, wiping her face dry from the tears.

"Go Nidoran! Use Hyper Fang!" I jumped away in search of my own Pokémon, easily finding Charmeleon. He slashed open cases and the Pokémon immediately burst free of their Pokéballs to join the fight, others picking up their Pokéballs to go and find their trainers.

Team Rocket were blasted off the ship with one last Thunderbolt from the Pikachu, tossed up into the sky from the force and we all cheered. "Yeah! We sure showed them!" I beamed, bounding over to Ash, Misty and Brock to tackle them with a hug.

"We did it! I think we should all be very proud of our Pokémon." Ash said and I nodded my head before giving a sharp whistle. One of the Pidgeotto's broke off from the flock and flew back to me, making me grin.

"Great job Pidgeotto!" I beamed as she landed and I embraced her, burying my face into her feathers. "You were super awesome as always, you take a nice rest now." I returned her to her Pokéball then looked around for Charmeleon.

He leaped down in front of me then folded his arms across his chest. "Char." I giggled.

"You were amazing too! I'm very proud!" I flung my arms around him and although he didn't embrace me back, I felt him nod his head. "You'd better return now, it's a little crowded in here." I said to him then clicked the button on my Pokéball to return him safely.

Just then the ship leaned precariously to the side and many of us fell over, though as I should have guessed, about twenty people landed on top of me. "Argh! Get off of me! I hate being squashed at the bottom!" I yelled, banging my fists on the ground.

"It's a storm!" Misty gasped as she looked out the window. I arched an eyebrow at her.

"I knew something like this would happen. Just my lucky day!" I grunted as I tried to pull myself out from underneath everyone but I was stuck fast as we were thrown to the other side of the ship when it tilted the other way. "Ow!"

"Hey where's Ash?" Misty asked, looking around and I glared at them.

"Can I get a little help here? It's getting kinda hard to breathe." Brock and Misty blinked before running over. Though people were beginning to get up, they continued to lose their balance and fall back down again.

"Oh right! Sorry Ruby." Brock said then grabbed one of my arms as Misty took the other. Together they pulled and although I felt like my arms were being ripped off, they managed to pull me free. Looking around we ran to find Ash, who was talking to the same gentleman as before.

"You sure I can't persuade you to change your mind young man?" He was asking but Ash shook his head.

"Butterfree was the first Pokémon I captured and I put a lot of work into raising it. I'm sorry, I just can't trade it away." The gentleman sighed then shook his head.

"Well, I know a lost cause when I see one. Good day to you young man." He touched his cap then walked calmly away as we raced over to him.

"Was that creep _still_ trying to get Butterfree from you?" Ash nodded his head then picked up Butterfree's Pokéball, smiling down at it.

"I won't ever let you go." But just then the ship was slammed into by a wave and tilted over, ripping the Pokéball from Ash's hands and it rolled down the ship's length. "Butterfree!" Ash yelled and chased after it, Misty, Brock and I following.

"Ash!" We raced after Butterfree's Pokéball, though we were tossed and thrown about like potatos in a sack in the progress. "Ash we've gotta go!" Misty yelled just as Ash dived for the Pokéball.

"Got it!" He crowed victoriously but then what must have been the biggest wave in existence slammed into the ship and threw us to the side, crying out as we slammed into a door and flew into the room.

Although I felt everyone land on me I didn't have a chance to complain as the force of the landing and the blow to my head knocked me out cold.


	18. Chapter 18

Someone was shaking me awake, though I was reluctant to rise up from my sleep. "Pika Pika!" Pikachu? Is that you? Groaning slightly I opened my eyes and blinked a couple of times before looking around me.

"Is it just me or is everything topsy turvy?" I asked, looking around to see the chairs on the ceiling and the roof as the floor.

"I think you'd better check out the scenery." Misty told me so I got up and looked out the window to see piles of ocean and fish swimming across my vision. Oh no…no this can't be right. This is just some crazy dream. A crazy, terrifying, real life, dream. Argh! We've sunk!

"Woah!" I yelped then leaped backwards. "What are we going to do?" I spun around then saw Ash hooked onto a table by his belt, still unconscious. "Hey! Wake up Sleeping Beauty! We've got an escape plan to make!" I smacked him on the back of the head, jumping up so that I could reach and he yelped and scrambled to get up, though because he was already in the air he just tumbled down and landed at my feet.

"Wha…what happened?"

"We took a little turn for the worse." I answered him, holding my hand out towards the wind. "Like, _upside down_ worse."

"Whargh!" Ash ran to the window to see the fish lazily swimming. "Huh? Fish swimming? This can't be!" He panicked, pressing his nose to the glass. "But that must mean…that this ship has sunk!" Rolling my eyes I gave a sardonic reply.

"Really? I thought we were flying." Ash whirled around with a panicked look on his face.

"We've got to get out of here, we'd better try look for a way off." Misty nodded her head then turned to the door.

"We could head towards the stairwell and see if there's any exits down below. Or is that up?" She frowned then looked at her feet. "It feels weird walking on the ceiling." I agreed with her but I didn't say anything. Any moment now I was likely to start panicking so I focused on taking deep, calming breaths.

Somehow we managed to find our way to the stairwell but there was water at the bottom and it seemed to be rising. Should I tell them now that I couldn't swim? Everyone looked at the water with disheartened faces, whereas I simply pressed myself into the wall as far as I could go.

"What are we supposed to do now? The ship's leaking everywhere." Ash said and I gave a little shrug.

"How about we grow tails and gills? That'll work." They shot me blank expressions. "Hey, I don't see _you_ coming up with any better ideas." Misty shook her head with a sigh.

"We've got to keep calm. As long as there's air in here, it'll take time to fill up with water." She reasoned and I felt only slightly comforted. It meant we still had time to get out of here, at least. Brock turned to look at us, another voice of reason.

"Sure but we'd better not waste any time escaping." Misty placed her hands on her hips then looked at the water.

"Well, we can either go up or down."

"If we're sinking then up would definitely be better." Ash piped up and I instantly nodded my head enthusiastically.

"Yeah, up sounds good to me."

"And if the ship is flipped upside down…" Ash continued, trying to think it out but he seemed a little slow, so Misty finished for him.

"The deck is below us and the ship's bottom is up above our heads." He beamed and clenched a confident fist.

"Then we have to dive down to the deck." I blinked in fear.

"Uh…didn't we just say up is better?" I questioned but no one heard me. However Brock seemed to hold similar views as he pointed out something very obvious.

"But if we dive down to the deck and come across a dead end then we're done for." Ash balked at that, not having thought it through. I can tell he was now thinking of himself drowning down there, and to be honest, I was having very similar thoughts.

"Water's my specialty." Misty announced then threw a Pokéball forwards. "Go Goldeen!" Misty called and the pretty pink fish landed in the water with an echoing chant to her voice.

"Goldeen, Goldeen Goldeen Goldeen…"

"Goldeen, dive down to the deck. If you find a way off the ship then bring something back from outside." Misty directed and Goldeen nodded her head before diving down into the water. I hope she finds a quick way off the ship, otherwise I'm going to have to hold onto her for help if I'm going to make it down there.

We waited for ages, the water slowly beginning to fill up and Ash was quickly becoming impatient. "What's taking Goldeen so long?"

"I guess it can't find a way out." Misty answered but just then, a shadow appeared in the water. "Huh?" We all tensed, waiting with hope to see Goldeen but then a head appeared out of the water. We all cried out in fear of the washed out expression, before suddenly Goldeen appeared and threw three bodies onto the ground. Hey! It's Team Rocket. A pretty drained looking Team Rocket. "Team Rocket?" Ash blinked.

"They look terrible." Brock added and I laughed.

"I wish I had a camera right now." Everyone shot me a look and I smiled innocently. "What? They look awful, it's kind of funny!" Suddenly they spat out water from their mouths and groaned.

"Pre-prepare for trouble." Jessie moaned weakly, completely limp like a boneless fish.

"Yes…make it double!" James groaned in a similar fashion. That's when they noticed us, however. "Huh? You!" They both chorused then leaped to their feet, suddenly wide awake and alert. "We've got you brats cornered!" Jessie grinned victoriously and she picked up her Pokéball. Instantly I screamed loudly, making everyone yelp and clutch their ears.

I leaped up onto the stairwell, gripping onto the bars to keep my feet off the ground. "No! Don't send out Ekans!" I screeched again and everyone groaned.

"Now that's an octave I've never heard before." Ash muttered as Misty shivered.

"I think my eardrum has burst!" Jessie smirked.

"Ha! The little brat is afraid of my Pokémon. All the better. Ekans!" James sent out Koffing and I continued to cling onto the stairs, not wanting to be anywhere near that snake thing. My heart pumped a hundred times faster than it should as the snake Pokémon's tail rattled.

"Ugh…it's all slimy looking and weird!" I shuddered as the two boys sent out their Pokémon.

"Here we go!" I blinked.

"Wait!" I shouted but too late.

"Alright, a match?" I glared at them both.

"You dimwits! We're on a sinking boat! Can't you save your little fued for the time being and battle at a more appropriate time?!" I thundered at them and just as I finished, the ship tilted and everyone fell backwards, though my grip was now lost and I sailed through the air then crashed into the back of the hallway, groaning. "Ugh…no!" Crash! Everyone landed on me and I twitched. "This is just the greatest day…" I squeaked painfully then felt a tail slide over my leg. "ARGH! GET IT OFF ME!"

"Oh quit your whining little twerp." Jessie snapped at me.

"The ship will roll if we don't do something quick!" Misty yelled so Ash pointed to the other end of the side of the hall.

"Charmander, Squirtle, Bulbasuar, Geodude, Ekans, Koffing, to the other side of the ship!" Instantly the Pokémon ran to the other side and the ship began to even out but then tilted back the other way, causing us all to slide again and I remained tangled underneath everyone. "The other side! The other side!" Ash shouted again and the Pokémon all ran for it, Geodude bouncing along behind.

"Geodude you're too heavy! Come back to this side!" Brock yelled so Geodude stopped and came back to our side.

"Would everyone please get off me?!" I yelled then broke free and took a deep gulp of air. "I hate this cruise." I grumbled then shook out my hair, which was tangled in my face before dragging it all back into a ponytail.

"You guys, call back your Pokémon." Misty told everyone as she gripped onto the side, still sitting on me.

"But Team Rocket will beat us if we call our Pokémon back." I twisted around to shoot him a look.

"You think that's the most important thing right now? A battle? We're underwater in a sinking ship! Get your priorities straight the lot of you, we have to worry first and foremost about getting off this sinking hunk, now call back your Pokémon or I'll box your ears!" Everyone made a worried sound then looked to one another before nodding.

Brock and Ash called back their Pokémon so Misty turned to Team Rocket. "Call your Pokémon back too, what's more important? A Pokémon battle or your life?!" Jessie started then picked up her Pokéball.

"She's right, good point." She answered so the Ekans and Koffing were called back too. I sighed with relief as the ship evened out then twisted to glare at everyone heatedly. My hands whipped out and smacked everyone except Misty on the back of the head.

"Now get your big butts off of me!" They scrambled to get up and I dusted myself off before standing. Misty folded her arms then became the diplomat, standing beside me as we both faced Brock, Ash and Team Rocket.

"Okay then. We all agree that there'll be no battles for now. Let's work together!" She suggested brightly and I arched a condescending eyebrow. Us work with them? I wonder how long that'll last. Just look at them already, they're glaring at one another in a death match. "Huh? Come on now shake hands!" Misty yelled and everyone blinked at her. Ash and Jessie looked at one another, paused then shook hands.

"This is just a temporary situation until we get out of this mess." She informed darkly as Ash narrowed his eyes.

"You'd better believe it." Brock and James were trying to crush one another's hands and Pikachu shocked Meowth whilst they too shook hands.

"Pikachu!" Misty scolded and Pikachu looked up at her innocently.

"It's agreed, we work together." Jessie announced to Misty and I and I smirked.

"Now we've got to think about a way to escape." Ash said and I patted his head.

"Best leave the thinking to us then, right Ash? We wouldn't want you to hurt yourself." He shot me a look and I grinned before turning to misty who was smirking proudly.

"Leave it to me. I forgot to mention, I built my own St Anne once." We all stared at her in disbelief and shock. "It was a model." The others' faces all fell. What? Where they expecting her to whip up a new ship that would sail us out of here? "That's how I learned all about the structure of the St Anne. Since the way to the deck is blocked, we'll have to make our way to the bottom of the ship. We can cut a hole in the hull and that's how we'll escape." Everyone looked to one another with slight concern.

"Well at least it's a plan anyway." Ash answered and Brock pointed.

"Over there!" He pointed to the hole in the roof that had stairs leading down, but at the same time, took us up. There's a riddle for you. Brock picked up a Pokéball then yelled out loudly. "Onix! Make a staircase!" The giant rock Pokémon appeared into view once the bright light had disappeared then looked to the stairs. Stretching out he clamped down with his jaw onto the ceiling then let us run up his bouldered body. "Let's hurry!"

"Right!" Ash and I both chorused, racing up eagerly. We went further and further into the belly of the ship only to loose the light, shrouding us in complete darkness.

"The lights are out, I can't see anything!" Brock said as I groped in the darkness, trying to feel my way.

"Let me handle it." Ash informed us then I heard him pick up a Pokéball. "Charmander! I choose you!" The little Pokémon gazed up at him adoringly then beamed.

"Char Char!" He led the way, his tail light shining brightly so that we could see where we were going. We walked for some time, silent in our gnawing fear but Ash spoke out, sounding pretty calm.

"So where does this hall lead?" He asked Misty who answered him confidently.

"This hall leads straight to the engine room and that's where the hull is the thinnest. With a little luck, we should be able to cut our way through." She finished just as we reached a door so she opened it and we stepped through, only to gasp with disappointment.

The ground was alight with fire and the heat was rising, causing beads of sweat to roll down my brow so I wiped them away. "This is no goog! It's impossible to cross to the engine room." Ash said and I glanced back to see James gripping onto Jessie's hands.

"Jessica?"

"Yes James?"

"Whoever said beauty doesn't last must have been thinking of us." They then tucked into one another, leaning their heads in and I blinked in surprise. Were they a couple? They certainly went well with one another.

"I'll always remember what a wonderful dresser you were." Jessie said to James sadly.

"So will I!" He whined but then Misty stood in front of them.

"Will you two knock it off? There's gotta be some way to get off this ship!" She yelled and they blinked at her. "There must be some angle we haven't though of yet." Ash was thinking hard and I could practically see the cogs working.

"Think Ash!" He told himself then held out his hand to Pikachu. "Pikachu, give my brain a jump start."

"Better make it a strong one Pikachu, he'll need it." I commented and Pikachu nodded his head with a smile. Pikachu held onto his hand then sent an electric pulse through Ash, making him yell from the shock until Pikachu toned it down and let him go.

"Thanks that's just what I needed!" Hey it actually worked? Way to go Pikachu! "Bulbasaur, I choose you!"

"Balbasuar!" The little dino Pokémon greeted as it popped out of its Pokéball.

"Alright Bulbasaur, Vine Whip, extend your vines to the other side!" Ash directed.

"Bulba!" The vines shot out and travelled across the room to grip onto the other side where the door hung open. "Bulbasaur!"

"Good job Bulbasaur." Ash praised and Misty smiled.

"That was a great idea Ash." She commented and he rubbed the back of his head with a bashful look on his face.

"Yeah we can cross the vines to the other side." Brock added so I nudged their backs.

"So what are we waiting for? Let's hustle!" We stepped out one by one onto the vines, balancing carefully but when I glanced back, I saw James staring in fear at the blaze.

"I can't cross that inferno! Jessie and Meowth, you go on without me! I'm staying here!" He wailed so I head back. Jessie stood in front of him then slapped his cheeks a few times whilst chanting his name.

"Snap out of it! How long do you think you would last on this side?" She demanded then lowered her voice to a softer tone. "Now let's go, we'll cross together." James stared at her with watery eyes before embracing her.

"Oh Jessie, please don't abandon me." Leaping off I patted Bulbasaur's head then shoved the two star struck lovers forwards.

"Yeah, yeah we get it, you're a bunch of wimps just like me. NOW MOVE IT!" I yelled and they instantly leaped onto the rope.

"Yes ma'am! We're going!" They both yelped then began to move forwards carefully, waving their arms and I waited for them to get about halfway before stepping on.

"You're doing great Bulbasuar, I'll be as quick as I can then I'll send Pigdgeotto to come and get you across safely." I told him and he smiled up at me.

"Bulba Bulbasaur!" Nodding my head I tickled his chin then stepped onto the vines. I leaped from vine to vine, covering a least a few feet at a time then sprang to the door, smiling as I landed in an elegant drop.

"Wow!" Everyone breathed and I winked, lifting two fingers in a victory sign.

"Battle Girl, remember?" I explained then sent out Pidgeotto. "Go Pidgeotto! Bring Bulbasaur safely back over here!" I called and she flew out, fluttering her wings.

"Pidgeo!" She soared over the flames then turned at the other side, banking around and picked up Bulbasaur in the process. Ash and I returned our Pokémon then turned to see Team Rocket gasping for breath on the ground, practically kissing the floor.

"Now I know what a toasted marshmallow feels like." Meowth said and we all glared at them.

"Hey! No time to take a break!" Ash told them and Misty turned to face us.

"We've gotta get off this ship quick."

"Right." Ash nodded then sent out Charmander. "Charmander I choose you!"

"Charmeleon, you too!" I called and he burst out with a growl.

"Charmeleon!" He turned to face Charmander and they instantly bashed skulls, glaring at one another intensely and I slapped my face with a groan.

"Will you two stop it?!" I yelled, waving my arms above my head. "We have a bigger situation than your rivalry!" Pushing them apart I looked up at the hull. "Charmeleon, Charmander, use your flame to weld a hole into the hull, that way we can break free."

"Char." They both said in unison then blasted a Flamethrower up at the metal.

"Ash, get ready to return Charmander, when that water comes through we need to protect their flames." I said to him and he nodded, lifting up his Pokéball ready.

"Okay listen up." Misty said as she turned to us. "Grab hold of a water Pokémon and swim to the surface."

"Yeah right, got it Ash?" Brock asked and Ash nodded.

"I'll be okay with my Squirtle."

"Uh, could I possibly borrow one of yours Misty? I kinda don't have a water type Pokémon." I said to her and she nodded her head with a smile.

"You can take my Staryu, you'll be fine." Nodding my head I waited until the Staryu had been released then approached.

"Hey there, think you can give me a hand?" I asked and it nodded to me. "Cool, I'm just going to tie myself to you with some rope so I don't get lost." I took the rope out of my pack then looped it around the Staryu, doing a secure knot.

"Hey don't forget about us, what are we supposed to do?" Jessie demanded and Misty turned to look back at them.

"Just grab a water Pokémon."

"Water Pokémon!" Meowth yelled and I was about to ask if they had one when Ash spoke aloud.

"Its almost burnt through." Turning I raised my Pokéball ready to return Charmeleon as they finished welding the hole, closing their mouths and instantly, the water burst downwards.

"Char!" They both yelped and grabbed their tails, rushing away from the water.

"Charmeleon return!" I called and brought him back safely before the water could even touch him. Heart pounding, I turned towards the water as it began to fill up the room. Misty was already rising up the plume, Goldeen leading her away with Brock and Ash following.

"Hey do you guys need a…" I was about to offer them my help when Staryu jumped forwards into the water and rose up. "Hey wait! Team Rocket don't have…" I had to suck in a breath before Staryu raced after Misty. I kicked my legs awkwardly, trying my best to swim but Staryu did most of the work, dragging me to the surface as my lungs began to burn for air.

We broke free and instantly I floundered, gasping. "Agh! I hate the sea!" I cried out as I went under but Staryu dragged me towards a small barge where the other three stood waiting. Staryu leaped out of the water then shook itself off, dragging me up in the process so I landed flat on my back. "Thanks Staryu, you're my new hero." I told it and it wiggled its arms at me before Misty called it back.

"Staryu, return!" Somehow I worked myself out of the rope then breathed deeply, finally feeling calm now that we were out of immediate danger. But then I yelped.

"Wait! You idiots forgot that Team Rocket dosen't have any water Pokémon!"

"Wha-!?" Ash's eyes widened in horror as I leaped up.

"Do you think they're still trapped inside?" Misty gasped and I clapped a hand to my forehead.

"Think about it, they've only ever used Ekans and Koffing, of course they can't make it to the surface! We should go back for them." I said, putting my hands on my hips. "We promised we would work as a team, it's only fair that we try help them out of this scrape." Brock shook his head.

"There's nothing we can do, if we dive down, it could take hours to find the ship again and then it would be too late. The best we can do now is try to find dry land." I looked around but saw nothing but water.

"Let's see…" Ash looked around carefully, scanning the horizon. "Nothing but ocean in every direction and no way to tell which way to go." I lifted a finger and wagged it at him.

"Nuh uh! You forget who I am Ash Ketchum. I'm Ruby, the one who has everything!" I took off my backpack then found the compass, which instantly told me which direction was north. "Okay, Pidgeotto! We need your help again!"

"Pidgeo!" She cried as she emerged from the Pokéball so I looked up at her.

"Head east Pidgeotto and try find us some dry land. Bring us back something once you've found it." I called, pointing east and Pidgeotto nodded before flying away. "But come back before you get too tired to continue!" I shouted after her then turned to Ash. "You should send your Pidgeotto the other way, just so we can cover more ground."

"Right. Pidgeotto go!" He called and his male Pidgeotto appeared. "Pidgeotto, fly that way and bring back whatever you can find!" Ash directed and his Pokémon flew off with a trill of its voice. "Just hurry back." Ash sighed. I lay down and took to bathing, letting myself dry off in the warm sun.

It was some time before one of the Pidgeotto's came back, it was Ash's and it was dragging something along in the water. It looked like a Magikarp. What is that behind it? "Hey! It's Team Rocket!" Brock noticed then we all hurried to pull them aboard but they were waterlogged and I don't think they were breathing.

"They weren't able to make it." Misty said sadly and I looked at Ash who spoke next.

"Not even Team Rocket deserved this."

"Yeah." Brock sighed, all of us looking down at them with guilt and sadness. It's a shame, I was growing kind of fond of those three. "I guess the only decent thing to do is to give them a traditional burial at sea." He said to us and we all pressed our palms together to send a silent prayer.

"You're right. It's the right thing to do, even if they were our enemies." We began to push them off, struggling under the weight of their wet clothes but then they sprang up with angry faces.

"AGH! ZOMBIES!" We all cried out and leaped backwards but James scowled at us angrily.

"Who're you calling zombies?"

"We're not zombies!" Jessie shrieked but then Meowth called out as he struck the water.

"Somebody help! My fur is getting wet!" He clawed his way to the barge then dragged himself up, shivering and shaking as his fur dripped with sea water. Pikachu glared then snapped his fingers with an annoyed look that read, 'damn it, so close'. I giggled then sat down on the ground.

The night came quickly so we settled down to sleep, all of us totally exhausted and then the next morning, my Pidgeotto returned with nothing to give us hope of dry land. "Thank you Pidgeotto, I really appreciate your help. You rest now and don't worry about a thing." I said then returned her. Everyone looked tired, hungry and thirsty, so I opened up my bag then began to pull out some canisters.

"You have food!" Ash yelled and instantly everyone was crawling towards me.

"Hey back it up, I'm going to share but no one is going to get an unfair portion unless they crowd me!" I yelled and instantly everyone was sitting as far back as they could, crossing their legs like good little children.

"How did your food survive?" Brock asked. "All mine is ruined." I smiled.

"I put everything in this canister which is completely water proof and so is my pack. My mom uses this special spray which keeps any amount of water actually getting inside and ruining my things. She started buying it when I was little because I used to go playing in the rain all the time and would come back with my backpack soaked and all of my schoolwork ruined." I began to share out small portions to fill people up a little but not to completely exhaust my stock. I shared around the water too, making sure no one took any more than a mouthful before putting everything away.

The Magikarp flopped around in the middle, constantly chattering away in its deep voice. "Karp, Karp, Karp."

"Oh are you hungry too?" I asked then broke off some bread. "Here you go." I smiled then poked it into his mouth, giggling as he sucked on it and nibbled my fingers. However as the days passed, about two in total, not even my careful rationing could save us from hunger.

We lounged wearily, groaning as our stomachs grumbled deeply in anger at us. "I'm so hungry…" Ash complained.

"It seems like forever since we last ate." I nodded my head in agreement. Misty growled then exploded in a raging voice.

"If I'd known I would be starving I would have stuffed my face full on the St Anne!" Please stop shouting, you're giving me a headache.

"Oh I want some food." James moaned like a little baby, looking totally depressed but Jessie snapped at him.

"Stop it!"

"Yeah…" Meowth agreed. "That whining only makes me feel hungrier." Shaking my head I sat up then looked out to the horizon, still seeing nothing. We need to start thinking again, this isn't going to work just waiting for land to appear or hoping to be rescued. Only then did I hear what Ash and Brock were saying.

"Gotta eat something…like flayed karp…"

"Yeah…or fried karp…" Brock agreed, probably picturing Magikarp noodles. I blinked in shock then looked to James and Jessie, who harboured ravenous looks on theier faces.

"Fresh marinated karp…"

"Karp soup…" James drooled and slowly everyone crawled forwards. Oh no, they are not eating that Pokémon.

"Will you all stop that?!" I yelled loudly then leaped aroun the circle, smacking everyone on the head. "You can't eat that Magikarp, it's not fair!" I sat down in the middle and pulled the fish into my lap, stroking its side. "There now, it's okay, I'll protect you from the wild savages here." I informed him gentle, tickling his hard underbelly though it seemed to respond anyway, closing its eyes and giving a fishy smile.

"That's it! Dinner is now served!" Meowth cracked and I glared at him as he leaped forwards, baring his fangs. I lifted a foot then slammed it into his face, making him groan as I stopped him dead in his tracks. "Me-ouch."

"I said _no_." I told him then shook him off my foot. "Magikarp are not for eating. They're mainly scales and bones anyway, they have a very tough hide which makes it nearly impossible to eat." I informed and Meowth groaned.

"But I'm so hungry!"

"Ugh, not only can this fish not swim, but it's not even good for eating!" James complained whilst trembling with rage as Jessie turned to him.

"See I told you buying it was stupid!" Jessie shot at him and James stood up, glaring at it.

"You good for nothing fish!" He yelled so I intantly pressed my hands over what I believed to be Magikarp's ears.

"Don't listen to him, he's just really hungry. I think you're adorable!" I told the Magikarp then gave it a hug. James then exploded, crying out in anger.

"Argh! I don't want to be your master!" Then he kicked the Magikarp from out of my hands and lap, making me gasp in shock. He just abandoned that Pokémon, I will not accept that!

"No! You stupid idiot!" I yelled then attacked James, smacking him several times on the head before looking to the Magikarp with worry as it floundered pretty uselessly. "Don't worry! I'll save you!" I yelled then without thinking, jumped into the water.

"Ruby!" My friends cried and instantly, I blinked. ARGH! I CAN'T SWIM! Somehow I managed to wriggle my way forwards but I began to sink, my eyes growing wide. I'm sinking, I'm sinking! Someone help me!

My lungs began to burn and I tried to hold my breath, scrambling like a useless Magikarp to try and flounder but I continued to sink and, unable to hold it any longer, I let out my breath. Instantly I regretted it, because although I got a moment's relief, I soon felt the burning again.

My vision throbbed as I looked upwards, trying to claw my way upwards but I was at a loss. My legs wouldn't move with my arms and my arms wouldn't move with my legs. This is bad, how am I going to explain myself drowning to mom? Oh wait, I wouldn't have to.

I screamed uselessly in the water, trying to get someone's attention but then, a bright light flashed above me. I looked upwards, fighting to stay awake and a shape cut through the water, glowing brightly until finally, the massive shape changed colour and I was facing a Gyarados.

Wait, did the Magikarp evolve? Uh oh, this is terrible! I'd prefer to drown, please let me drown! I don't want to be eaten by a massive dragon fish! However the Gyrados swam around me, growling softly then dived underneath, rising up and I felt its hard head catch my body and we rushed to the surface.

We entered into the air and I sucked in a deep breath, gasping with relief then cried out as I was tossed upwards, arms flailing as the Gyrados then moved, letting me slide down its back and I stopped screaming to then grin. "Woohoo!" I yelled, spreading my fists as I raced down its body then it flicked me up with its tail, sending me up into the air again. "This is AWESOME!" I yelled as everyone watched with shocked expressions, calling out my name.

"Ruby! Be careful! Gyardos are dangerous Pokémon!" Misty yelled but I landed on my feet at Gyarados's head and he looked up at me with a soft growl, blinking slowly.

"You're not dangerous, are you?" I grinned then plastered myself to its head, hugging it. "Thank you for saving me, I kinda forgot that I couldn't swim." The Gyarados made a sound like laughter then lowered itself in the water before streaking off. I laughed wildly, standing on the top of its neck and gripping onto it tightly as we sliced through the water at top speed, surfing the waves.

"Hey Gyarados!" James called and we pulled up beside the barge, sending a small ripple of waves which made it jerk slightly. "I'm James your master, obey me." James said and the Gyardos narrowed its eyes then roared loudly at James, obviously remembering how he treated it.

"It's okay Gyarados, you don't have to do anything he says." I told it gently, rubbing its head and I found a spot just between its eyes behind the dark blue horns that seemed to be particularly nice to be rubbed, because Gyarados instantly relaxed and sank deeper into the water, a look of peace washing over him.

Jessie growled then let her anger out. "You stupid imbecile! You just lost a powerful Pokémon!" She smacked James who whimpered.

"Why do I always get hit?" He sniffed then looked at Jessie who picked up a Pokéball.

"If you're too scared to be its master, then _I'll_ catch it. Pokéball go!" I glared at Jessie as she threw it then jumped down off Gyarados's head, making him look at me with surprise.

"I don't think so!" I yelled then twisted around, clenching my fists then smacked the Pokéball back with my foot, hitting Jessie in the face but then I continued to fall. I spread my arms, ready to hit the deck but then a fanned tail swept up beneath me and I landed comfortably on its surface. "Huh?" I looked to the Gyarados then smiled. "Thanks! Good catch." I turned then jumped down onto the little raft to then glare at Team Rocket. "You guys couldn't control a Gyarados, let alone treat it right, so I'm not going to let you catch it. It'll be far better off in the wild." Jessie laughed.

"Who are you to tell us what we can and can't do? Maybe I should send Ekans out to teach you a lesson." Instantly I lost all confidence and jerked away.

"Not that snake!" Ash frowned at me.

"You're scared of an Ekans but not of a Gyarados?" He questioned and I shot him a dark look.

"Ekans are just creepy! I hate snakes!" I yelled at him at the top of my voice, growing three times in size as he backed away from me. Turning away I took a brave gulp of air then folded my arms. "Still, you're not getting Gyarados. He deserves way better than you losers. Right Gyarados?" I looked up and the Pokémon nodded his head before roaring at Jessie and James, who clung to one another in fear.

The clouds began to gather and I looked up, seeing the sky darken and the waves began to pick up. "Another storm? Oh no!" But then Misty gasped.

"It can't be, the stories couldn't be true!" She looked to us with wild eyes. "I think Gyarados has accidentally called for help!"

"What?!" We all yelled then sure enough, several more Gyarados burst out of the sea, glaring at us. "Oh no! What do we do?" I looked to the original Gyarados who turned to face the others, growling in warning.

"Gyarados! Can you send them away?" I called out and he looked at me before whipping out his tail with a roar. A large wave rose up and our raft was carried away as Gyarados then slammed into one of the others, engaging in battle. "No! No don't hurt it! Stop that!" I yelled as Brock and Ash held my arms to keep me from diving into the water again.

Our Gyarados got slammed into a couple of times, the other Gyarados ganging up on him so I growled and bellowed at the top of my voice with all the anger I could muster. "LEAVE HIM ALONE YOU OVERGROWN WORMS!" That certainly got their attention. The Gyarados who saved me collapsed into the water, worn out and weak as the others began to weave amongst one another. "What…what are they doing?" I asked and Misty stared in horror.

"I think its Dragon Rage! Gyardos most powerful attack!" We all gasped and watched as the Gyarados swam so fast they became a blur. Then all at once, a plume of water rose up into the air and we all cried out.

"What are we wating for? Start paddling!" Jessie yelled and Team Rocket began to desperately paw at the water but none of the rest of us moved.

"No one's ever gotten away from Dragon Rage before." Misty said sadly so I grabbed my backpack and clipped it together at the front to keep it from being ripped away from me. "Everybody hold on!" Misty yelled as the water twister came closer.

Our raft was shattered upon impact and I was thrown up into the cyclone, tucking myself up as I cried out in fear. I've had so many death experiences in one day, it's getting kind of irritating now. Still, no less scary. I heard the others and managed to twist to see them hanging onto one antoher. "Ruby! Try grab on!" I heard Ash yell but I couldn't reach them.

"I can't reach! Ash! Misty! Brock!" I yelled as I was torn away and I lost sight of them. I was tossed and tumbled on and on, as if I'd been stuck in a washing machine. I swear, after this, I am never going near the sea again. Or any kind of water, to be in fact. Not until I ask Misty to teach me how to swim and even then, I want to start in a paddling pool.

Dizziness overcame me and I lost track of time and thought as, once again, I was knocked out cold.


	19. Chapter 19

This time when I awoke, it was of my own decision. I lifted my head, spat out some leaves then looked around me. I was completely alone and it was beginning to grow dark. Where were the others? "Brock! Misty! Ash! Pikachu!" I yelled, trying to get someone's attention but still, there was nothing.

It was eerily quiet, not even a whistle of a bird or the rustle of wind through the trees. I grunted as I stood, wincing slightly as I felt my body ache. Seems I'd landed pretty badly. "Okay, no need to panic. I'm not completely alone." I looked to my belt and smiled, glad to find I still had two Pokéballs. "Pidgeotto! I need you!"

She burst out of her Pokéball and I looked up at her as she flapped her wings then hovered in front of me. "We're lost, I need you to scout out this place and try and find Ash and the others." I said to her. "I'll stay here until you get back."

"Pidgeo!" She called then flew up into the air, scanning the grounds. I sat down and winced as something dug into my foot from inside my sneakers. I pulled them off and tipped them out to find a few stones which had somehow got inside. I took off my wet socks, shirt and shorts and took a wash in a nearby pool with a small waterfall, where I washed my hair and then dried myself off, feeling much better after I had changed into clean clothes then washed the ones I had been wearing.

"Hey Charmeleon, want to give me hand?" I called him out then smiled, holding up my wet but now thankfully clean shirt. "Could you dry these clothes off for me? Please?" He looked at me sceptically then rolled his eyes.

"Charmeleon." He blew hot air at my clothes and in a flash, they were dry as a bone. "Thanks buddy!" I smiled but he'd already ley himself back into his Pokéball. "Oh…well okay, you sleep well." I told him then put my clothes away. Just then I heard wingbeats and I looked up. "Pidgeotto!"

"Pidgeo! Pidgeotto, Pidgeo!"

"Have you found someone?" I asked at her excited calls and she nodded before flying low to the ground, leading the way. I ran after her, racing through the trees as she angled her body to glide through them, gracefully skimming the ground as I ran behind.

We ran and flew for a solid ten minutes when I heard a voice calling out. "Pika! Pika Pi!"

"Pikachu!" I called out with an exhale of relief. "Pikachu I'm here!" Suddenly a yellow mouse like Pokémon leaped out of the bushes with a delighted look on its face, arms stretched outwards as it leaped for me.

"Chuuuu!" I laughed and caught him, hugging him close.

"I'm so glad I found you! Where's Ash?"

"Pikachu! Pika Pika, Pika Pi!" So Ash was still missing? This isn't good. Suddenly I heard other Pokémon come racing after Pikachu.

"Squirtle!"

"Bulba!"

"Charmander!"

"Argh!" I yelled as they all landed on me and we tumbled to the ground, me being completely flattened again but this time, I didn't mind. Several tongue began to slather me and I giggled, squirming underneath them as I pulled them all closer. "You guys! You're all alright!"

"Squirtle Squirt!" Squirtle touched my face then hugged my head, his hard shell pressing into my cheek so that my lips were forced to pucker but I giggled all the same.

"I'm glad to see you too, but can I sit up now?" They all stepped back and I sat up, shaking out my hair then looked up to Pidgeotto. "Nice work girl, it's too dark now for you to see so have a rest and we'll carry on looking tomorrow." I told her then returned her to the Pokéball. I looked to the others and smiled. "So I bet you're all hungry, right? How about we go looking for berries and something to eat?"

"Pikachu!"

"Bulbasaur!" I guess that's a very happy yes. I stood up, smiling down at them all then made to step forwards when a voice called out to us.

"Alright Pokémon surrender!" Huh? Meowth? "Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light, surrender now or prepare to fight!" The talking Pokémon leaped down, claws raised and I rolled my eyes as everyone else relaxed too.

"It's okay guys, it's just Meowth." I sighed then glared at him as he fell over backwards with a groan.

"I guess the Team Rocket motto is starting to lose its impact." He said sadly then shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Never mind! Okay guys, go get 'em!" Huh? Who is he talking to? When no one moved, I arched an eyebrow.

"Did you swallow some sea water Meowth? Who are you talking too?" Charmander stepped forwards and shone his tail towards Meowth to reveal…Ekans and Koffing. "ARGH! Not Ekans! Get it away!"

"Ekans!" It hissed in annoyance, rattling its tail and I sprung up a tree, climbing it quicker than a rocket then clung on for dear life.

"I hate Ekans! Get it away!" The gang down below looked at me in bewilderment as I clung onto the tree. Meowth turned around and waved his arms at the two Pokémon, trying to wake them up.

"Hey! I said go get 'em!" But still they did not attack. What are they doing? Why aren't they attacking? Meowth then began to talk with them, complaining about how he was much smarter than both Jessie and James but it seemed that they were being loyal to them and not Meowth.

"Aw come on! We're all bad guys here!" Meowth tried but still they refused to move.

"Looks like you're on your own Meowth. How about you do your own battles and stop trying to use other Pokémon to do your dirty work?" I called down from my tree. "Or are you too much of a scaredy cat?" He yelled at me from below.

"I'm no scaredy cat! You're the one clinging to a tree!" I realised he was right. "Why're you so afraid of Ekans anyway? What's he ever done to you?" I stuck out my tongue at Meowth.

"I don't like Ekans, they're just mean Pokémon! I was bitten by one when I was just a little girl and it almost took my hand away with it!" I shuddered at the memory. That was another time Pidgey had come to save me. Why was it I always seemed to end up in trouble? Meowth snorted.

"Well, seems you're too chicken to even come down and face it. Ekans won't bite, not unless I tell him to." In answer Ekans whipped out his tail and smacked Meowth between the eyes. I giggled slightly then looked down at the gang as they began to talk to me.

"Pikachu! Pikachu, Pika Pika Pi!"

"You want me to come down Pikachu?" I asked and he nodded his head.

"Pika!"

"Bulba! Bulba Bulbasaur." I smiled at Bulbasaur who had a pretty determined expression on his face.

"Are you saying you'll protect me if you need to?" He nodded his head proudly so I sighed. "Okay then, watch out, I'm coming down." I slowly descended the tree, taking my time but I cast wary glanced to the Ekans as I went. The moment I was down Pikachu ran up my leg and settled on my shoulder, nuzzling my face then began to lecture me.

"Pikachu, Pika Pika, Pikachu Pi! Chuu!" I tilted my head to the side, listening to him but then glanced over to Meowth as he began to translate.

"He says if you want to open up a sanctuary for Pokémon then you need to love _all_ Pokémon, even the ones that scare you." He answered then snorted. "What a dumb thing to say. I say you should just forget your dreams and go home."

"Well no one asked you you sly little cat! You're just lucky I haven't pulled out your whiskers yet!" Wow, I guess Misty is really starting to rub off on me. Pikachu patted my cheek then jumped down, going over to Ekans then introduced us.

"Pika, Pika Pi! Pika Pi, Pika!" Swallowing nervously I stepped forwards then knelt down, watching the Ekans carefully.

"Hey there, I'm Ruby." I started nervously, watching as the Ekans lifted its head. "I'm sorry if I've hurt your feelings, I'm just really scared of Pokémon like you. It really hurt when that Ekans bit me as a kid and I've never forgotten it." I explained and the Ekans nodded its head. "But you seem nice, even though you attack my friends from time to time, I know you're only doing it because you're loyal and that you're a good Pokémon really."

In answer Ekans slithered forwards and I balked, giving a sound of fear but he stopped then looked up at me. "Ekans…Ekans Ekans…" It hissed then waited. It stared at me intensely and I slowly relaxed as best I could, watching it.

Then I began to reach out a hand, turning my head away and clenched my eyes shut so that I didn't have to watch myself touch the slimy skin. Ekans pressed his head into my hand and I blinked. Hey, it's not slimy, its actually really smooth. Looking around I slowly began to rub my fingers into him, making him hiss happily at the attention. "Hey you're…you're actually quite nice to touch." I said to it then smiled nervously.

I scooted a little closer and sat down, reaching out and began to stroke his body. Ekans lifted his tail and rattled it under my chin, tickling me until I giggled and smiled. "Hey! That tickles!" Suddenly Pikachu and Bulbasaur were on my shoulders, smiling proudly and rubbing into me as Squirtle and Charmander hugged me at the waist.

Looking up I saw Koffing looking pretty sad and lonely so I smiled up at him. "Come join in the hug Koffing!" I called and instantly it beamed.

"Koffing!" It sailed over then landed in my lap with a puff of gas which made me choke slightly and my eyes watered but I forced myself to smile and cuddled him regardless, making him beam with joy.

"Okay guys, let's all go find some food." I decided, standing up and Bulbasaur jumped down.

"Bulba!" His Vine Whip shot out and wrapped Meowth up, trapping him effectively.

"Hey what's the big idea?!" He yelped, feet waggling as Bulbasaur carried him over his head.

"We're taking measures to make sure you don't try to run off with Pikachu." I told him with my hands on my hips, Ekans slithering up my arm then coiled neatly around my neck, making me giggle slightly as it tickled. "I'm not an idiot like Jessie and James, we don't trust you. Come on guys, I see some bushes over there that look promising."

Rubbing Ekans head I smiled proudly to myself. I was over my fear of Ekans! Don't get me wrong, if I came across a wild one I would probably still scream and run away, but this was a huge step for me! We spent some time gathering berries and I put them all on large leaves as mundane plates then Charmander lit us a fire, Pikachu having gathered some sticks with me and we all ate our fill.

I had collected more which I put away to save for later, but I made sure there was plenty for the others and the Pokémon. I looked to Ekans and Koffing as they ate. "So did you guys get lost too?" I asked and they nodded to me.

"Ekans, Ekans Ekans."

"Don't worry, I'm sure Jessie and James are looking for you both." I assured them. "They're very proud people and I can tell they care about you a lot, they're not going to let you two go so easily." Ekans and Koffing looked at one another then nodded to me.

"Bulbasaur, Bulba Bulba." Bulbasaur said and I looked at him as Pikachu dropped his berry then glared at him, cheeks sparking.

"Pikachu! Pika Pika!" Charmander nodded his head in agreement.

"Charmander." Bulbasuar closed his eyes and gave us a proud look, not saying anything in return and it didn't take much intelligence to guess what they were saying, however Meowth only confirmed it.

"Well you can never trust humans. Not even that one with you now. I bet you when the going gets tough, she'll get going with the rest of them." I leaped up and shook my fist at him.

"You stupid alley cat! I'd never abandon my Pokémon or any of these guys! My dream is to create a place where all Pokémon could come to me for safety and protection if they ever get abandoned or mistreated, you think I'd go back on my own words and leave everyone else here just to save myself? Then you're wrong!" Spinning around I knelt before Bulbasuar with an expressive look in my eyes. "Bulbasaur, you can always count on Ash. If there's one thing he cares about most then it's you guys. He loves you, each and every one of you because you've put your trust in him, and if there's one thing Ash Ketchum hates it's letting people down, so he'll find us, or we'll find him. You'll see."

Bulbasaur looked at me for a moment or two before nodding his head. "Bulba." I smiled then tickled his chin, making him smile up at me before I sat back down again. I had just picked up a berry to eat when the ground began to shake and it fell out of my hand.

"Uh…Pikachu? Please tell me that was your stomach." I said but he shook his head.

"Pika." The ground shook again, getting louder and suddenly I had six Pokémon piling on top of me, quivering in fear.

"Oof! Guys, can't…breathe…" I gasped then something struck the ground, making it tremble again. Is it an earthquake? But then a shadow loomed above us and its sillouhette was outlined by the moon and stars, its red eyes glowing bright. A Rhydon! Only, a _HUGE_ Rhydon! We all yelled in fear as it began to move towards us.

"Bulbasuar, Vine Whip on the ropes! Let Meowth go and let's get out of here!" I yelled then scooped up Squirtle, who was the slowest of us all then herded everyone together. Bulbasaur slashed the ropes and Meowth sprung free.

"That's one big Pokémon." I grabbed his paw.

"We'll go sightseeing later, just get moving!" I shouted as I dragged him along behind, lifting him off the ground as I began to run.

"Me…OWTH!" He complained, hitting several bushes as I kept everyone together. We raced through the foliage, hearts pumping as we tried to escape the Pokémon. I looked over my shoulder. How did they grow that big? I'm sure Brock would love to know, it'd be a massive breakthrough in his personal research.

"Everyone follow me!" I yelled then turned a sharp left, breaking off the straight path we'd been forging and made to get out of the Pokémon's direction of travel. Everyone banked and followed me, my bigger frame trampling down the bushes so they could follow more easily.

Breathing heavily I risked another glance over my shoulder. The Rhydon wasn't following, that's good. That's very good. "Okay…I think…we can…slow down now." I gasped, stopping and dropping to my knees with Squirtle still in my arms. "Is everyone okay? Are we all here?"

"Me-ouch. I'm not okay, I think I swallowed a few bugs back there." I looked down with surprise, forgetting I was still holding onto Meowth.

"Well you're welcome. We did just save you." I told him snappily. "We could have just left you behind." He shot me a look then humphed proudly, turning away. I counted Pokémon, making sure everyone was there.

"Squirtle, Meowth, Bulbasaur, Ekans, Charmander, Koffing…Pikachu?" I looked around, beginning to panic but then I heard him call out to us.

"Pikachu!" He was just a few feet away from us, pointing towards some bushes then jumped through them.

"Hey wait! Pikachu don't go too far ahead! I don't want to lose you or Ash'll kill me!" I got up and followed, everyone crowded around me as I pushed apart the bushes. What I saw made my mouth drop. There was a snack bar with a Slowbro manning the station, offering Pikachu drink and food which he happily began to munch into. "Thank my lucky stars…no matter how few they are…" I drooled and we all raced forwards. "Hey Slowbro, is it okay if we have some too?"

"Bro…Slow…" It nodded its head then served up dishes to us all and I ate my way through several helpings. "Thank you, it was all great." I told him then looked down the table to see everyone arguing. Squirtle was having a heated argument with Bulbasaur whilst Charmander was facing Koffing and Ekans. I looked at Pikachu who blinked at me simply. "Oh brother…" I sighed then stood up. "Alright that's enough all of you!" I clapped my hands sharply and glared, making everyone jump and look at me.

Taking a deep breath I cleared my throat. "Everyone take a deep breath and just calm down." I paused then glared. "Do it!" Everyone inhaled deeply then let out their breath, relaxing a little. "Good, now we're all tired, so I'm saying its bedtime now. Come on, let's find somewhere comfortable and sheltered to settle down. Make sure you all say thank you to this nice Slowbro here, okay?" Though I still couldn't think what a snack bar was doing out in the middle of nowhere.

Each of the Pokémon said their thanks and I led them over to a cluster of trees, testing the ground which was dry and springy. "Okay this should do." I decided as I curled up on the ground with a yawn. "Everyone find somewhere to rest…" Instantly I had all the Pokémon bunched around me, snuggling into me at all angles and laying over me. "Goodnight then." I murmured and they all chorused a reply until one by one, we all dropped off into sleep.


	20. Chapter 20

Morning came and I stretched, only to find a hard shell press into my face. "Ugh…" Squirtle was curled up against Ekans, who was curled over me. Pikachu was nestled in my arms with Bulbasaur, Charmander was leaning against my back with Koffing and Meowth was sprawled over me, drooling in his sleep. Gross.

"Wake up everyone." I said quietly, not wanting to startle them. I shook Squirtle slightly and he blinked himself awake, shaking his head then yawned.

"Squirtle!" Turning I tickled Pikachu, making him sneeze and squeal.

"Chuuuu!" It was the most adorable sound I had ever heard.

"Come on, everyone up, we've got to find the others now." I said a little louder and everyone stirred, waking up as I began to sit up carefully. "Meowth! Wake up!" The lazy cat leaped up then landed on me, digging his claws in.

"Me-OUTH!"

"YOW!" I holwed and Ekans instantly slapped Meowth, hissing in annoyance and making him loosen his grip on my leg. "Hey what's the deal?" I glared at the cat who glared back. "Come on, we'd better get moving. It looks like a big island and we have to find Ash and the others." Standing up I yawned then stretched before taking Pidgeotto's Pokéball. "Go Pidgeotto! Time to find Ash, Misty and Brock!" I called, sending her out.

"Pidgeo!" She called and I smiled.

"You know what to do, just be careful! There seems to be massive Pokémon out there and I mean huge! Don't attack any of them, just hide and let them pass without any disturbance." I explained to her. "We'll follow you from below, so make sure you stay low enough for us to see you."

"Pidgeotto!" She nodded then flew out of the little den we had found. I followed her, the Pokémon all gathering around my feet.

"We're really going back out there? With all those big Pokémon?" Meowth whined as he clung to my leg fearfully.

"Don't worry, we're too small to be worth eating. Let's go." I said brightly then took off after Pidgeotto who found us a road. We walked for some time, calling out for Ash, Brock and Misty. I even shouted for Jessie and James to keep Ekans and Koffing comforted, but they still looked pretty hopeless so I stopped and knelt down before them.

"It's okay. We'll find them. We always seem to run into one another." I told them confidently then smiled. "And if we don't find them soon, then I'll take care of you until we do! How does that sound?" Ekans hissed then nodded his head and Koffing looked a little brighter.

"Ekans! Ekans!"

"Koffing!"

"Great! So come on, let's keep looking." I turned around and looked up just as Pidgeotto called out to me.

"Pidgeo!"

"Huh? Is that a…Blastoise?" I questioned, staring at the massive Pokémon that was easily over a hundred feet tall. We all stared up at it and Charmander made an awe filled sound. "I know, it's huge." I noted, though I didn't really know what he was saying. He then looked to Squirtle and began to talk.

"Charmander, Charmander Char Char." Meowth folded his arms and closed his eyes, going all smart on us.

"This is Squirtle's evolved form, a Blastoise." Meowth said to us and I rolled my eyes.

"We know that." Pikachu looked to Squirtle then pointed to the Blastoise.

"Pika Pi."

"Squirtle!" It yelped then looked to the giant Pokémon. "Squirtle Squirtle…" Then he stepped out of the bushes and began to move towards the Blastoise.

"Squirtle come back! Don't get its attention, we don't know if it's friendly or not!" I called quietly but with a slight hiss and dove forwards but Squirtle walked out of reach and I hit the ground. "Oh great."

"Squirtle Squirtle, Squirtle Squirtle….Squirtle?" The blastoise turned around and everyone froze in place before groaning. This is not good.

"Run for it!" I yelled as it aimed its cannons down at us. The jet of water flushed out and we all ran for our lives, yelling at the top of our voices as Squirtle surprisingly ran to the head of the pack. Hey, and there I was thinking it was slow. Guess I was wrong. "Pikachu come on!" I called and he leaped up with a cry.

"Pika!" He landed on my back then clung on, looking over his shoulder and I heard him crackle with energy.

"Oh no you don't, don't make it even angrier!" I yelped as I continued to run. "There's no way you could take that thing down easily, you'll just exhaust yourself." Pikachu stopped crackling with electricity then looked at me.

"Pi?"

"I don't want you getting hurt Pikachu, okay?" I told him then ruffled his head as I then looked ahead. "Woah!" A Venasaur of equal size marched slowly across our path and everyone looked to Bulbasaur.

"Squirtle Squirtle, Squirtle Squirt, Squirtle!" Bulbasaur looked alarmed then shook his head.

"Bulbasaur Bulba! Bulbasaur…Bulbasaur…" Kneeling down I rubbed his head.

"Okay guys, no more interaction with the scary big Pokémon, okay?" I said and everyone nodded their heads in swift agreement. "Right, so let's…" When a shadow fell over us, I stopped then looked up. The massive Charizard glared down at us then roared. "AAAARGGHHHH!" We all screamed and Pidgeotto flew up, trying to get its attention.

"Pidgeo!"

"No Pidgeotto, return!" I called and pulled her out before she could start a fight for me, but the moment I put her back on my belt, Charmeleon escaped from his Pokéball. "Charmeleon! What are you doing?" I yelled, gripping my hair as he blasted a Flamethrower attack at the Charizard.

"Char! Char!" He ran forwards, claws glowing then used Slash, trying to do some damage but the Charizard merely roared then shot down a spiral of fire at us.

"Move!" I yelled, grabbing all the Pokémon up in one go then ran out the way, jumping to toss them forwards then yelled as I was tossed backwards by a force of wind from the beat of the Charizard's wings.

I landed heavily on the floor, grunting and flinching as I lay on my front, not moving for a second. "Pikachu!" I twitched then pulled myself up, shaking my head.

"I'm fine, are you guys okay? Wait…Charmeleon!" I yelled then leaped up, grabbing his Pokéball. He was still slashing and throwing fire attacks at the Charizard, but as the Blastoise appeared, having caught up with us and the Venasaur turned around, I called him back. "Charmeleon, return!"

He turned and snapped at me, growling but I gave him no choice, returning him to his Pokéball. "Okay everyone, RUN!" I yelled then took off as fast as I could.

"Hey wait for me!" Meowth yelled and I stopped, scooped him up then threw him onto my back. "Now hurry up and get me out of here!" I glared at him.

"If you don't quit whining, I'll toss you to them as bait!" I snapped then continued to run. The three Pokémon chased after us and I continued to run, ignoring the erratic pace of my heart as I continued to race for my life. "Everyone keep going!" I yelled encouragingly as we ran downhill then followed what looked like a railroad track. "Huh?" I looked up ahead and almost fainted with relief when I saw Ashe, Misty, Brock and even Team Rocket.

"Hey guys!" I yelled then saw the massive loop in the tracks. "Watch out!" I yelled then pointed ahead, making them look then cry out in alarm. Glancing around I saw that the gap between us and those monster Pokémon was swiftly closing up.

The cart the guys were travelling in rose up and around, looping down again and I could hear Jessie's scream loudest of all. "Stop the ride! Stop the ride I want to get off!" I know I would if I were here, that just looks sickening.

"Get ready to jump in guys!" I called out as the gang levelled up with us. "Squirtle, you're first!" I yelled then scooped him up. "Catch him Ash!" I yelled then flung the tiny turtle Pokémon to them. "Go Charmander!" I threw him next then held out my hand. "Ekans, Koffing, you go now!" They both sprang forwards and landed in their trainers' arms, all of them beaming with happiness. "Bulbasaur go, you're next!" I yelled and he jumped, using his Vine Whip to anchor onto Brock then pulled himself in. "Meowth, Pikachu!"

With all the strength I could muster I flung them into the escaping cart and Pikachu reached out towards Ash. "Pikachu!" He landed on Ash's chest and I shared a brief smile before a foot landed too close for comfort behind me.

"Ruby! Ruby hang on!" I heard Brock yell as Misty gasped.

"Watch out!" I leaped to the side, sensing the foot come down and I gasped before leaping again, avoiding being crushed by bare inches. "Ruby!" Misty cried and I saw no other option except the one I was thinking off right now.

"Okay, I've had enough!" I yelled then changed direction. I leaped up into the air, spring off a foot then jumped up, feeling the solid body of the Blastoise before springing off and flipping over my head, body streatched out elegantly then landed on the Charizard who growled. I journeyed up their bodies, using my agility and flexibility to get over them before leaping into the air. "Pidgeotto!" I yelled with my eyes clenched tightly shut, sending out her Pokéball.

"Pidgeo!" She cried then dove after me, eyes narrowed as I fell.

"Pidgeotto, hurry!" I yelled then stretched out my hand.

"Piiidgeo!" She snapped out her wings then reached out with her talons, gripping my hand then began to flap, slowing my decent as her strong wings carried my weight through the air until I was flying with her.

"Yeah! Oh yeah we're flying!" I cheered, giving a whoop of celebration then gasped as the others were launched into the air, the cable having snapped and they head straight for…is that a Zapdos? Oh my goodness! A Zapdos!

They slammed into its wing and it broke, bits of metal and screws falling everywhere as it fell out the sky. Wait, mechanical? It was a machine? I looked back to the others to see them sparking with electricity, their movments jarring slightly. Were they all machines?

The others all tumbled with screams and yells towards the water and there was nothing I could do to keep them from their watery consequence. They crashed into the glittering waves as Pidgeotto soared overhead, still holding onto me tightly. "Good girl." I murmured, reaching up and patted her leg gently.

"Pidgeo!" She answered then flapped her wings, taking me further down as the gang began to resurface. A dark shape slithered through the water, its fins flashing before disappearing again and everyone cried out.

"Gyarados!" Team Rocket yelled then swam back for shore faster than possible, running for the trees the moment they were on land. The Gyarados rose up and roared, looking down then around. Wait a second, is that…?

"Gyarados!" I called out and it looked up before giving a sort of smiley look. It was him! "Hey! You're here!" I laughed then let Pidgeotto drop me onto his head. "It's good to see you buddy, are you okay? Those other Gyarados didn't beat you up too bad did they?" I fussed, rubbing his head with both hands and he growled soflty.

"Hey! You think you can give us a hand Ruby?" Ash yelled as the guys all floundered. "We're a little damp down here!" I laughed then looked up at the sky.

"Thanks Pidgeotto, you're a real life saver!" I called then let her return for a well deserved rest. Turning back to Gyarados I patted his head. "Would you mind helping us buddy? You see we're a little lost and we need to get back to Kanto so that Ash can continue to collect badges. Could you take us somewhere where we can get back on track, please?" Gyarados nodded his great head then lowered himself down so that I could call to the others. "Hey! Gyardos is gonna give us a ride! Everyone jump on!"

"Alright!" Ash beamed then swam forwards. I looked around, not able to see Squirtle, Charmander or Bulbasaur. "It's okay, they're safe in their Pokéballs." He told me as I helped him up, patting his belt. "I got them inside before we hit the water."

"Oh that's a relief." I smiled then together we helped pull Brock and Misty up. "Okay Gyarados, show us the way home!" I called and he lifted himself up, roaring grandly before surging through the water at top speed. We all cheered, enjoying the ride as we raced over the waves, a healthy dose of sea spray tickling our faces.

I sat at the top of his head, watching the view as everyone else clung on. "Pikachu!" Pikachu called out then joined me up the top, looking at me. "Pika, Pika Pika!" I smiled at him as he made funny little hand movements.

"It's okay Pikachu, I'm glad I was able to find you." I told him then rubbed his head. "We're all a team, so we take care of one another, no matter how strange we are or how different we may be. It's what people call a family." Pikachu gazed up at me then leaped into my arms, nuzzling against me.

"Pikachu…" He murmured and I hugged him.

"I know." I told him softly, smiling as I hugged him back then let him go as he sprang back to Ash and nudged him gently.

"Chuuuu!"

"Hahaha!" Ash laughed, enjoying the rush of the ride as I lay down on Gyarados's head. I patted his scales then closed my eyes, enjoying the sound of rushing water as we sped across the glittering waves, the beating sun warming my skin as I simply enjoyed the relief of not being in such mortal peril.


	21. Chapter 21

I jumped off Gyarados last, turning to pat his face. "Thank you so much, we won't ever forget this." I told him then smiled as he leaned closer and rubbed into my body. "Haha! That tickles!" I giggled.

"Hey Ruby, why don't you catch Gyarados? He'd be great for your team." Brock suggested and I looked at him, my hand restign against Gyarados's face.

"Capture Gyarados?" I questioned then looked up at the Gyarados, who was watching me carefully.

"You two seem really close, it'll be great for you to have such a strong Pokémon to work with." Brock continued. "He can help you learn more about his kind and develop your skills at dealing with Pokémon." I continued to watch Gyarados before closing my eyes and resting both my hands against his face, allowing myself to realx and think over what Brock had suggested.

Something told me that it wouldn't be the right thing to do, to capture Gyarados. Just a gut feeling that told me he wanted to be in the wild more than being something to be studied and worked with. He's too much of a free spirit.

Smiling contently I looked up then stepped away. "Don't worry Gyarados, I won't make you stay when you don't want to. Be safe now, and please be careful!" I added, waving to him as he nodded his head then turned into the sea to dive into its depths.

"Ruby…why'd you let it go?" Ash asked in bewilderment. "You two really hit it off." I turned around and held up two fingers in a victory sign with a wink.

"He wanted to be wild, so it's okay. Besides, I think I've made a friend for life, which is just as good as capturing him." Looking to the city we'd just been dropped off at, I couldn't imagine anywhere better to spend a good vacation. "Last one to the beach buys ice cream!" I suddenly yelled then raced past them all, hurtling to the beach to soak up some sun.

"Hey no fair, you started ahead of us!" Ash grinned then chased after me.

"Yeah, you cheated!" Misty yelled after me as I laughed.

* * *

After several days enjoying the sun, I felt the call of the road so I packed up my gear and faced my friends. "You sure you won't stay?" Brock asked and I smiled to them.

"I've got some research to do, Professor Oak has already given me some pointers and I need to head over to Cinnabar Island as soon as I can really." I explained to them. "But I'll see you all again really soon, I promise. I'll be in touch!" I assured them then took a step back.

"But where will you go?" Misty asked me.

"Well, I hear the Safari Zone has loads of rare Pokémon, I want to go and check them out and ask some questions about how they're all looked after." I answered her. "It'll be a great experience and maybe I'll meet my next Pokémon partner when I'm out there." They all smiled at me.

"Well good luck, we'll see you soon!"

"Good luck with your battles Ash, I know you'll do great." I told him then made my way to the train station where my train was waiting to take me further inland. I used the ticket I had bought to get me through the gates then found a seat on my own in the train to read a book in peace and quiet.

By the time my stop came, I was two thirds of the way through it. "Huh?" I looked up as we pulled in then jumped out of my seat, eager to get going again. I sprang off onto the platform then ran into the town, briefly stopping for lunch then head down the road I would need to get to the Safari Zone.

"Alright guys, come on out! Time for some good old fresh air and exercise!" I called then with both hands, sent out my Pokémon. Pidgeotto trilled and flew a circle around me, rushing up a gust then flew up into the air. Charmeleon huffed then yawned, strolling along with his nose in the air. "Hey Charmeleon, catch!" I yelled then threw the tennis ball at him, grinning wickedly as it sailed towards him.

Charmeleon cracked open an eye then snagged the ball easily out of the air, hardly needing to look before tossing it back to me over his shoulder. "Alright!" I grinned as I caught it, though inwardly I was disappointed with how unenthused he was. "Pidgeotto your turn! Let's see who's the best at this game!" Instantly Charmeleon lifted his head, interest peaked. At least I knew how to get his attention, just turn something into a competition. So we played down the path, Charmeleon putting in the effort to jump higher and run faster than before and caught many awesome saves before throwing the ball back to me.

Slowly he began to smile, calling out as he jumped up and down. "Char! Char!" I giggled then tucked the ball in tight, preparing to fling it as far as I could when a shouting voice made me stop.

"Go away you useless Pokémon!"

"Huh?" I stopped and looked around, not seeing anything but then I heard the voice again.

"Stop following me! I don't want you anymore!" Instantly my anger burned and I crushed my fingers into the tennis ball, making my hand ache but still, I didn't care. I head towards the voice, pushing apart the bushes to see a girl my age glaring down at a tiny Pokémon, possibly the cutest I had ever seen.

The girl had long blonde hair which was tied in plaits with large pink ribbon, her dress frilled and sparkly and obviously very expensive. She was glaring down at the Pokémon, whose ears were flattened against their skull with terrifyingly sad expression, its eyes misty with tears. "Vee?" Its body was a light brown and it had a thick pale cream collar of fluff, with large, long ears and its puffy tail was tipped in the same creamy colour as around its neck.

"How many times do I have to bring you out here? I keep on telling you, I don't want you anymore. You're nothing special, you never even evolve!"

"Eevee, the Evolution Pokémon. It has the potential to evolve into any one of three different Pokémon." Dexter supplied for me. So that's an Eevee, I remember mom used to talk about them all the time, saying how adorable they were and how she always wanted one. The girl kicked at the little Pokémon and instantly I leaped forwards.

"Hey! Stop being a jerk!" I yelled and they both looked at me as I stormed over. "What do you think you're doing? You can't just abandon this Pokémon like this, you have to take it somewhere it can be properly cared for!" The girl blinked then lifted her nose up at me.

"Why should _you_ care? Besides, I can't be bothered. It's just a little Pokémon, who cares what happens to it? I don't want it anymore so why should I bother?" Growling I shoved my face in hers and bellowed.

"I'll tell you why, BECAUSE I SAID SO!" Raging with anger I then put my hands on my waist. "Why would you want to abandon it anyway? It's adorable!"

"Because I wanted it to evolve into something cuter, but it never does, no matter how much training my butler does with it. Apparently you need stones but the stone I gave to this fleabag didn't work. Besides, I've seen a better Pokémon. My daddy's going to get me a Ninetales, so I don't need that little beast anymore." The Eevee had tears in its eyes, obviously hurt by this cruel, spoiled brat's words.

"Look what you've done! You've made it cry!" I snapped, stooping down to rub its head. "You should be ashamed of yourself!"

"If you care so much then take it, it's not like its any use though." She snorted then made to leave but then she faced my Charmeleon, who roared at her after he'd materialised from popping out of his Pokéball. "ARGH! MOMMY!" She leaped up into the air then took a few steps back. "Someone save me!"

"It's just my Charmeleon, stop being such a cry-baby." I snapped at her so she glared at me.

"Put your ugly beast away! It's frightening me!" The brat ordered and I looked at her. She would dare call my Charmeleon ugly? I'll show her ugly!

"Charmeleon! Use Ember, let her feel a little heat at the edges!" I yelled, letting my anger get the better of me. Charmeleon growled then shot a short burst of fire at the spoiled rich girl, who screamed as her dress caught alight.

"Help me! Someone help me!" The Eevee blinked and watched as she ran around, trying to outrun the flames and Charmeleon laughed with satisfaction. My spite not able to hold up, I pointed to her.

"Pidgeotto, put out those flames with Gust!" Pidgeotto dived down from the canopy then flapped her wings, blowing a breath of wind which dimmed down the flames then put them out completely, much to the girl's relief. I strode forwards then gripped her arm, hauling her to her feet. "You don't deserve a Pokémon, not until you learn to love and respect them like equals! Now go home to your room and stay there!" She blinked, tears running down her face before she screamed.

"MOMMY!" She ran through the trees and out of sight, much to _my_ satisfaction. I turned around to see Charmeleon trying to approach the Eevee but it backed away, despite Charmeleon's soft sounds and small movements.

"Easy now Charmeleon, it's okay." I told him, rubbing his head as I stepped past him and he looked at me with surprise as I lowered myself onto my belly to make myself as small as possible. "Hello there, I'm Ruby." I smiled to the Eevee who continued to sniffle and cry. "Are you hungry? I bet you're hungry." I decided then hunted through my bag until I'd found some food. "You know, how about we all have a picnic? It's really pretty here." I said with a smile, looking at all the violets that filled the clearing, streams of sunlight peaking through the trees.

I set up a nice meal, putting bowls of Brock's special food down for Charmander and Pidgeotto, who muched away happily and I tempted the Eevee with some of the berries I had saved from the unexpected trip to Pokémon Land we had made. "Come on, I know you want some." I heard its belly rumble so it slowly moved forwards, sniffing the berry in my hand before taking a little nibble. "That's it, good little Eevee." I smiled then put it down in front of her.

"Vee!" She trilled happily then finished it quickly, no longer crying. I laid out some more and the Pokémon selected the ones she wanted then perked up, ears twitching towards me, brown eyes shining brightly.

Reaching out her ears flattened but when I began to rub her fur, it stretched up into my hand then stepped closer. With a smile I picked it up then sat it in my lap, running my hand over the soft fur, though it was a little knotted in places and also could do with a good wash as it was covered in dirt and leaves from its time in the woods. "You poor thing." I sighed softly, watching as it rubbed into me then curled up into a cute little puffball, taking a nap as the others finished their food. "What do you think guys, shall we bring this little sweetheart along with us?" I asked and Charmeleon nodded his head.

"Char, Char."

"Piedgeo." Pidgeotto nodded her head then lifted herself up into the air, going over to my bag then poked her head inside before bringing out the tennis ball. She started a game between herself and Charmeleon, the two of them launching the ball at one another and they practiced certain moves to catch it. For example Pidgeotto would use her Gust and Charmeleon would swipe at it like he was using Slash, practicing his accuracy.

I watched them happily for a long time, not joining in because I didn't want to disturb Eevee, however when it woke up it blinked then watched the game, ears standing directly upwards as it watched the ball as it journeyed. "Do you want to play too?" I asked and it leaped up.

"Vee! Vee!"

"Okay." I grinned as it jumped forwards then got to my feet. "Hey guys, we're joining too!" I called then ran forwards. "Eevee, catch the ball in your mouth!" I directed and Eevee leaped forwards, jumping into the air as Pidgeotto let it go.

It caught the ball easily, landing with an elegant flick of its tail then bounded over to me, putting it at my feet. "Great catch Eevee!" I beamed, rubbing its head then threw the ball to Charmeleon who bounced it on his knee then onto his foot, looking up to Pidgeotto then kicked it up to her.

She swept down and caught it on her tailwind, letting it rise up in the air again before it began to fall. "Vee!" Eevee's eyes sparkled and it bounded forwards, leaping up to headbutt the tennis ball then continued to keep it from hitting the ground with either her head or tail before flicking it back to Charmeleon with a look of determination, slapping the ball with its tail.

"Alright! Now things are really heating up!" I called with laughter then tried to dive for the ball but Charmeleon leaped over me and used me as a stepping stone, jumping up into the air then caught the ball himself and I fell to the ground with a giggle.

We played for what felt like hours until finally, we all collapsed from exhaustion. Eevee rolled on its back, looking a lot better as it squirmed in the sunlight then squealed further as I began to tickle its belly. Charmeleon beamed happily, chanting his name softly.

"Char! Char!" Laughing myself I rolled onto my back then sighed.

"That was fun, we should do it again tomorrow!" Eevee looked up and blinked winsomely so I looked at it with a welcoming smile. "How about it? Would you like to come with us?" I sat up and both Charmeleon and Pidgeotto came to my side, nodding their heads invitingly as the Eevee stared at us.

After a long while of it thinking, it suddenly beamed and nodded its head. "Vee! Vee!" It leaped into my arms and I beamed, hugging it close to me and nuzzled into its soft fur.

"I'll never abandon you, I promise. We'll be friends forever." I murmured then stood up. "Come on guys, you'd better take a rest. We've got a lot of ground to cover before nightfall." I said then returned them to their Pokéballs. I picked up a spare I had and offered it to Eevee but it instantly shied away, shaking its head then sprang over to me, rubbing its head into my legs. "You don't want a Pokéball yet? Okay, I'll just carry you." I lifted the Eevee up, tickled its chin then head back onto the road towards the Safari Zone. I won't get there today, but that's okay.

There's always tomorrow.


	22. Chapter 22

Eevee danced at my side, bounding happily. She had just been washed and brushed so her coat of fur was shiny and soft, making her feel much better. I giggled as she pounced on a butterfly, watching it fly before bounding after it again but never swatted at it.

"Vee! Vee!" She trilled happily then blinked as it landed on its nose. She turned around and looked at me with a smile and my heart instantly melted. How could anyone let this perfectly adorable Pokémon go? Or even evolve it? I'd want to keep it at this stage forever.

We'd been walking for a good couple of hours now but I could see the Safari gates, which only made me start to run with Eevee at my feet. Eevee happily hopped along, her fur brushing against my leg as we headed towards the little cottage where people signed in and got their Safari Balls.

Stopping just outside I took a few moments to catch my breath then drew myself up, looking down to Eevee. "Come on Eevee, let's go inside."

"Vee!" Nodding its head it leaped up the steps one by one as I climbed them then knocked on the door. There was a scrape of a chair and the clomping of someone's heavy footsteps before a man opened the door and he glared menacingly down at me.

"Yes? What do you want?" I smiled up at him.

"Hi! I'm Ruby. I was wondering if there's any chance I could come in and ask you a few questions." I said to him and he frowned. "You see, I have a PokéDex and I'm doing research on Pokémon all over Kanto, and I thought it would be a great idea to come and see some of the Pokémon here and ask about their habits, their lifestyle, diets and things like that." He continued to look down at me suspiciously and Eevee drew back behind me, flattening its ears to its head whilst hiding behind my legs.

"Dear! Don't be so frightening, the poor child." A kinder voice called with a titter of her tongue then pulled her husband out of the way of the door. This woman was much shorter, with wizened features and a kind smile, bright eyes shining like warm chocolate. "Oh, you must be hungry. Come inside pet, I have some hot cocoa that you may enjoy."

"Thank you, that's very nice of you." I said then stepped inside their hut. The taller gentleman wore rangers' clothes, a belt with large pockets which held Pokémon feed and several different fishing hooks. I turned to face the woman again who smiled then pulled out a comfy chair for me.

"Sit down dear, you look tired. Have you travelled far?"

"I come from Pallet Town." I answered her as I accepted a cup of cocoa, Eevee jumping up into my lap then settled down to curl up and have a nap. "I would have been here yesterday but something happened and I got a little off schedule." I told them, resting a hand on Eevee's back and gave her a gentle stroke.

"That's a very beautiful Eevee." The lady continued. "Have you had it long?" I blushed.

"No, we only met yesterday. You see, Eevee is the reason I didn't get here when I was meant to. Her previous trainer was trying to abandon her in the woods when I came across them. I gave the girl what for then took Eevee in but it took some time and a lot of games before it felt a little better from just being abandoned." I smiled down at Eevee lovingly. "So Eevee is part of my team now, though it doesn't want to go into a Pokéball yet, I don't think it's used to them."

"Hmm, she's quite young." So it was female. Kind of goes without saying, only a girl could make such adorable faces as her. "Though judging from her physique, she has a high experience level. Poor thing, forced to grow up so fast. It's good that you played with her." The lady told me with a nod of approval. "Playing with your Pokémon is very important in raising them." I nodded my head eagerly.

"I know, it builds trust and friendship and also love. When it comes to Pokémon, you have to treat them with the utmost care and do your best to understand them and understand what they're trying to tell you." The lady smiled then looked to her husband, who was looking at me thoughtfully.

"Why exactly are you so interested in our Pokémon specifically? Don't you want to just go out and capture as many as you can to fill in your PokéDex like the rest of you trainers?" The ranger demanded haughtily, watching me suspiciously but I smiled and shook my head.

"I'm not interested in capturing Pokémon. I want to build a family, not a battle team, so I don't plan on having any more than maybe six Pokémon and I already have three, though I'm likely to lose one soon as he wants to return home so I'm taking him back to Cinnabar Island." I told them briefly then continued. "I feel that it's more important for me to build relationships with my Pokémon and only battle them if they want to, not because I want them to. Besides, when I grow up I want to be a Pokémon Ranger of sorts." The man arched an eyebrow at me and I blushed.

"That's a rather challenging dream, young lady. It's a tough road to be a Pokémon Ranger." The lady said to me gently and I nodded.

"I know, but my dream is a little different. You see, I've had some experiences with Pokémon who have been abandoned by their trainers and it's opened my eyes a lot. It's made me think of how many Pokémon get abandoned every day simply because their trainers can't be bothered." My eyes darkened and I made a sour face. "It makes me so angry!"

"Vee?" Eevee looked up so I smiled and stroked her head so she settled down again to sleep.

"So I've decided that when I'm older and I've gathered information on all the Pokémon there are, I want to open a Pokémon Sanctuary, where people can bring their Pokémon to be looked after and rehomed without needing to go through the stress of being completely abandoned. It it'll work for cases where someone becomes too old to take care of their Pokémon or someone passes away, but I can then also extend my help to Pokémon who have been injured and need time to heal and those who need to be helped to trust humans again." My eyes sparkled as I imaged the place I was going to create. "It'll be fantastic!" Shaking my head I blushed with a shy laugh. "Well, of course I need to learn a lot first."

The couple looked at one another, a silent conversation passing between them before they nodded. "Forgive my rudeness, Ruby, I'm very wary of strangers." The gentleman ranger said to me with a nod of his head. "My name is Fraiser and this is my wife, Agatha. We are one of the many people who help out here at the Safari Zone, keeping watch and making sure everyone is safe here." I smiled then held out my hand to shake his.

"It's very nice to meet you both. You don't mind me asking a few questions, do you?" I asked and they shook their heads.

"Of course not, what do you want to know?" I took in a deep breath then began my questions.

"You have a vast amount of land, how do you manage to feed all the Pokémon?" I asked and Frasier answered me, tilting his cowboy ranger hat slightly with a cocked smile.

"We use the jeeps to cover the ground, but the Pokémon mainly feed themselves. There's plenty of grass and edible plants they can eat, fish as well but to add more range and balance to their diet, there's plenty of stations around the place where we put out hay or mashes that the Pokémon know they can come and munch on whenever they want." He explained, walking over to a map then pointed out various spots. "We have watchtowers and camers that scan practically the entire ground, all of which is visible from our command centre here." He tapped a large red block which sat at a larger entranace to the Safari Zone. "We're just a small outpost here and there's several dotted around. This allows us better access to all areas if we need to be called to a scene quickly."

I was frantically making notes on a notepad, ticking my tongue out as I quickly summurised what he was saying. "How do you know where to go?" I asked him, looking up. "If there was a fight breaking out somewhere and a camera picked it up, how would you know how to get there?"

"Good question." Agatha answered as she sat down in her comfortable chair. "You see the map is divided into squares?" I nodded my head. "And notice how the latitude line at the top is lettered from 'A' onwards?" I nodded again then my mouth dropped with a soft 'oh' sound.

"And the longitude line is numbered from one downwards, and you use those markers to coordinate the exact location you need to get to by contacting the nearest watchtower and outpost, which can then get to the scene quickly." I nodded my head. "It's so simple, yet it looks like it's really effective."

"Clever girl." Fraiser praised and I smiled up at him. "We've kept the land as close to its natural habitat as possible for the Pokémon to live the way they would in the wild. Although this is a tourist attraction, it's important we keep good care of the Pokémon. Their health is very important as we have many herds here, so sickness can easily spread so we hold checkups for all the Pokémon at least every three months."

"We have all their information right here." Agatha said as she patted her computer proudly. "You see, we have so many Pokémon that it's almost impossible to keep track of them. However we've tagged them all so that we know exactly who they are and their health record also. When they get caught, though, this chip is then deactivated although the records are all still safe and are accessible to every Pokémon Centre throughout Kanto. It's all a little complicated with the system itself, but once you know how to work it, its pretty self explanitary." Agatha smiled at me as I contined to take notes then jotted down a few ideas of my own.

"Thanks, this is all great!" I smiled to them. "Do you have several different habitats or is it all the same grassland?"

"Mostly grassland." Fraiser answered me, folding his arms across his chest. "But we of course have a few lakes and some rockier land towards the north. Each Pokémon has its preferred area and habitat, so you'll have to take in account all the different Pokémon types and their needs when you start this Sanctuary of yours." Fraiser gave me a little smile. "How about you come out with me on my rounds? I could use a hand and I could tell you more about the Pokémon themselves as and when we see them." Nodding my head eagerly I stood up.

"That sounds great, I'd love to." I answered and Aagath stood up, went over to a cupboard, picked up some Pokéballs and also a fishing rod.

"Here pet, try catch a few yourself if you fancy any. You never know who you may meet out there." She said to me and I took them gratefully. I reached into my backpack and drew out five hundred dollars and paid for them, though she tried to insist they were a gift.

"No, no, I want to do my part in helping this place. It's really great and I want it to continue running." I smiled to her as Eevee sat on my shoulder happily, nodding her head with me.

"Vee! Vee!" Agatha chuckled then tickled Eevee's chin, making her squeal and I adored the sound as much as I adored her.

"You be careful out there. Althoguh you'll be safe with my husband, you can never know how Pokémon will react. Always remember that." Agatha told me sternly, pointing a finger to me. "Never presume to know what a Pokémon will do, no matter how well you know them. They can always surprise you, and they are _always_ dangerous, especially when wild."

"I'll remember. Thank you for your help, Agatha." I said to her with a smile then followed Fraiser outside where he jumped into a Safari jeep. "Hold onto me Eevee, I wouldn't want to lose you." I said to her and she looked up at me.

"Vee?" I chuckled

"I think we're in for a bumpy ride." Fraiser chuckled. He looked much nicer when he smiled and laughed, more friendly than before.

"You're right about that. I'll go careful, don't you worry." He assured me then head into the Safari Zone. He took me past a watchtower to point it out and I quickly jot down the basic schematics and outline of it for an idea. It was basically a tall tower with a rotating light at the top like a lighthouse to keep an eye out for intruders after closing hours, though it also had a radio tower and a large hut at the bottom where several rangers kicked back at, waving as we passed.

"Are you all volunteers?" I asked as we moved off again.

"Some of us are, there's a mix of full time, part time and volunteers here as we can always use extra hands. I myself am a volunteer as I've worked all my life to save money to live comfortably, but now I do this for pleasure. Pokémon have always been extremely important to me, ever since I was little and I've never lost my love for them." He explained as we drove alongside a herd of Taurus and I gaped in awe. "Some Pokémon prefer to live in herds, so you'll have to consider this factor when you take in Pokémon." Fraiser said to me. "If you keep Pokémon separated then they're likely to become lonely and depressed. Also these Taurus need wide open space so they can charge around to their heart's content, keeping them in shape and it also aids their more docile side of their nature."

He slowed down the jeep a little so I could write these facts down on my black and red striped notepad, taking down everything he told me about their diet and tips on how they help to keep the Taurus entertained. "They like to charge things, so we've built ramming posts which can withstand great force." Fraiser told me, pointing one out. "We have to replace them every so often but they last pretty well. Also it keeps them from fighting one another."

Next we came across some Khangaskan and I smiled. "They raise their young in their pouches, don't they?" I looked to Fraiser who nodded. "They're very protective of their young, I know that, so it's very dangerous to approach them when looking threatening, so you'd have to gain their trust first before they'd let you near them." Fraiser smiled.

"Precisely. We let them alone mostly though sometimes they come looking for food if the weather is particularly bad and has killed some of the plants, specifically through winter. We have a greenhouse, though, where we grow plants and berries practically all through the year. I'll take you to see it later and you can ask one of the gardeners about which Pokémon prefers what." Hey! That'll be great information to share with Brock! I'll definitely take notes on that.

I spent the day with Pokémon, helping to feed them, learning how to take care of any injuries and I talked loads with the vet who gave me useful leaflets to help me learn how to notice when my Pokémon was getting sick, ranging from grass Pokémon to fire Pokémon and all the types in between, with specific details about specific Pokémon. It was all so fascinating!

Compeltely enthused by my education, I even stayed the night and continued the next day, and the day after that. In fact I spent an entire week there, learning all I could about the Pokémon and their habitat and became quite well known by all the rangers.

They looked out for me, welcoming me onto the team as I helped break up a fight between two Fearow. They had wanted to wait for reinforcements but I simply whistled sharply and the two Pokémon looked at me. Placing my hands firmly on my hips I glared at them as Eevee coward behind my legs.

"Now you two, this is no way to behave! Just look at all those Spearow in the trees there, is this the example you think you should be setting them?" I demanded and one of the Fearow shook out its feathered head.

"Fearow!" He answered then glared at the other who snapped its beack but I shook my head.

"I don't care who started it! I'm going to finish it. Now both of you, what has you both so riled up like this?" I approached slowly, hand ready to dive for Pidgeotto's Pokéball and the other rangers watched in fascination as I interacted with the Fearow. "I know! I think you both just need a little play time and massage to calm you both down. Come down here, please." I pointed to the ground and they both lowered their heads, seemingly with shame.

I reached out to one of the Fearow then began to gently work my fingers into its head where Pidgeotto enjoyed to be massaged most and instantly I got the reaction I wanted. Fearow slumped and gave a soft moan as it relaxed, wings flattening to the ground as I then continued down his neck. "There, doesn't that feel better? You've ruffled all your feathers trying to fight when really, you should be making yourself look your best." I told him then turned to the other. "Come on, your turn now."

So working my fingers carefully into their heads whilst wearing my ranger gloves to makes sure I didn't get oil on their feathers, I loosened up their tempers then grabbed a long piece of rope from the back of one of the jeeps. "Okay guys, this is how the game works. You hold one end and you hold the other like this." I handed each piece to the Fearow then stepped back. "Now you have to tug as hard as you can! Go! Pull really hard!"

Both Fearow flew up into the air then began to tug at the rope, playing tug of war and the Spearow in the trees began to chant for either one, where they began to get competitive and put their win strength into trying to gain some ground. "Pretty impressive Ruby, you'd make a great Ranger no doubt." Fraiser said to me, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"My Pidgeotto used to play this game with me all the time when I was little and she was only a Pidgey. It kept us entertained for hours." I said to him with a soft smile. "All we have to do now is make sure they don't get tangled in the rope, though they're smart enough not to."

"I'll have the boys keep an eye on them. You take a break now, go fishing or something. You've been working very hard these last few days, I'm beginning to wonder if you'll ever leave." I beamed up at him.

"I'm tempted not to." I admitted then smiled. Grabbing my pack I head towards my favourite fishing spot. I'd caught a few over the last few days but I hadn't captured a single Pokémon. I still had the original Safari balls that Agatha had given me.

Climbing over the hill and down a trail I passed a group of trainers catching some Pokémon so I stopped to watch them, making sure they didn't break any rules before carrying on. I tugged on my red neckerchief then smiled down at Eevee as she trotted at my side happily, enjoying the sunshine.

We found our private little spot and I set up a line, carefully making sure the hook wouldn't hurt any Pokémon who took the bait then cast the line out before sitting down, holding the pole in my hands. "Vee?" Eevee pawed at my leg and I looked down to see the tennis ball in her mouth.

"Okay." I giggled. "Just one throw, okay? Or I might miss a bite." Eevee was happy enough with this so I set the pole in a stand then threw the ball over the rise. "Go get it Eevee! Hurry!"

"Vee! Vee!" She bounded away, climbing up the hill then darted off after it, disappearing from sight. I waited for a few minutes then frowned. Where was she? I had only just taken a few steps after her when I heard her shrill cry of fear. "Vee!"

"Eevee! I'm coming Eevee!" I yelled then raced up the slope, scrambling clumsily in my haste then leaped up over the rise to see someone facing my Eevee, holding a Safari ball in their hand preparing to throw it at her as she cowered into a tree trunk, the tennis ball at her paws.

"Alright, an Eevee!" Hey wait a minute, I know who that is, it's Gary! "You'll make an excellent addition to my team. You're mine Eevee!"

"Hey! Jerk-face! Leave my Eevee alone!" I yelled, throwing a stick that I had scooped up from the ground and flung it at Gary, who turned around with surprise.

"Huh?" The stick hit his head and he yelped, clutching his brow as it began to grow red and Eevee ran through his legs towards me, where I dropped to my knees and caught her as she leaped at me. "Ow! What was that for?" Gary demanded, glaring at me as I cuddled my poor Eevee. I got up and shot him a look.

"For trying to capture _my_ Eevee." I snapped back, going over to collect the tennis ball then carried Eevee back to my pole, which still hadn't twitched. Seems the Pokémon weren't biting today.

"How was I to know it was yours? I thought it was just one of the Safari Pokémon." Gary snapped back then followed me. "How long have you been here?" He asked me as I sat back down by my pole and set Eevee in my lap but after a few seconds she licked my cheek then jumped into the water to have a splash around. She loved the water a lot. It had rained a few days ago and the morning after, she had splashed in every single puddle that crossed her path, playing in the water and pawing at it whilst chirping in that sweet voice of hers.

"About a week. I've been volunteering." I answered him, keeping my eye fixed on my line. Gary arched an eyebrow.

"A week? I would have thought you'd have moved on by now. There's more Pokémon to be seen than the ones out here, even if there are a few good ones." I rolled my eyes.

"I'm not capturing them, I'm _studying_ them. Fraiser and the others have been teaching me all about looking after the Pokémon and how to effectively run such a large stretch of land. It's all really interesting, but I wouldn't expect someone like you to understand." I told him haughtily and he rolled his eyes, sitting down beside me though he put a sensible distance between us.

"Yeah that's right, you and your hippie dreams." I shot him a look but said nothing in reply. There was a while of silence and he wasn't moving on, so I frowned then looked at him.

"Are you still here?" I questioned and he arched an eyebrow as he continued to rest in the sun.

"I've been Pokémon hunting since dawn, I'm taking a break." He answered me in a similarly snappy tone. "There's one Pokémon apparently to live here that I haven't found and I want to catch it." I groaned then shook my head.

"You wouldn't happen to be after Dratini are you?" He sat up interestedly to look at me.

"You've seen it?" I snorted.

"No, but the rangers sometimes talk about it. They complain about stupid Pokémon trainers like you stomping all over their land searching for the Dratini when it's only really a myth. There is no Dratini here or someone by now would have seen or caught it." Gary shook his head.

"It's not a myth, it has to be here somewhere. I've just got to keep looking. I'm Gary Oak, the best trainer in the world! I'm gonna find that Dratini and use it to become a Pokémon Master." I looked away with an unimpressed look.

"Good luck with that. Yet so far you've caught zero Dratini, so your quest is a little slow at the moment, don't you think?" He glared at me.

"You're such a drag." I glared at him heartily and Eevee stopped to watch us as our argument began to heat up.

"Well you're such a jerk!"

"You're a snivelling wimp!" Gary flung back so I leaped to my feet and towered over him.

"You're just a mean bully!" He jumped to his feet also, towering easily over me but I didn't care, there was no way I was backing down. He has to back down first!

"You're a loser!" My voice rose to top his, leaning closer as he did the same.

"I hate you!"

"I hate _you_!"

"ARGH!" I bellowed then spun around, turning my back to him. That horrible, insufferable little twerp, why can't he just leave things alone as well as me? He's so stuck up. I hate him. HATE him. Just then, however, I noticed my line twitching. "Huh? Hey! I got a bite!" Jumping forwards I picked up my pole. "Eevee! You have to get out of the water quick!" Eevee jumped forwards and shook out her fur, turning to watch as Gary suddenly smiled.

"Alright! It looks like a big one!" I tugged on the pole, trying to reel it in but whatever had the line was pretty strong.

"I can't…do it! Help me pull it ashore!" I grunted and Gary instantly put his arms around me to gript the pole and help pull, though I blinked and stared at the arms that were quite warm and comfortable around me. I lowered my head to hide my blush then resumed pulling.

"Woah…seems like…a _really_ big one…" Gary grunted as we struggled.

"Vee! Vee!" Eevee called then leaped onto Gary's back, straining her face to try and help. Without warning I felt the line being pulled forwards and I gasped.

"Oh no, it's go us!" I yelled as we were pulled forwards. "Watch out!" But Gary didn't let go. Stupid pride. We were yanked into the water and I flinched at the cold sharpness that washed through me and I clenched my eyes shut, turning my head to try and save myself from some of the shock.

We were dragged downwards, deeper into the water and we clung on as we were now entering a cave, I could feel the narrow passage as we bumped into it occasionally, its rough surface grazing against my side.

Suddenly light burst down from above and I let go of the pole, elbowing Gary to make him let go too then pointed upwards. He nodded his head then swam to the surface, where I then yelped inwardly. Wait, I still couldn't swim very well! I'd taken a few lessons from Misty on the beach but I'd only got as far as floating efficiently. I can't actually swim yet!

Panicking I kicked and clawed at the water, trying to rise up desperately and mimicked what Gary did, but all I managed was a pathetic little flop that got me nowhere. Oh great, not again. Only this time I didn't have Gyarados to save me.

Grasping my neck I tried to reach out and brush the surface of the water but I began to sink, the air now being forced from my lungs. Now burning for air, I felt my muscles seize up in pain and my eyes felt like they would burst from my skull unless I found oxygen soon.

A shadow flit across my vision and I looked to see a small serpentine shape cut through the water, only a silouhette before it disappeared again. What was that? Though I had no time to ponder the question, however, as my body went limp and I closed my eyes, floating uselessly in the water.

An arm suddenly curled around me and my eyes slid open slightly, only just noticing that I was rising. All at once I broke the surface and I coughed, throwing up some water as I flopped against the person who had dove in to rescue me, and of course there was only one person who it could have been.

Gary pulled me up the bank sluggishly, labouring for breath but he turned me over as I coughed, making sure I was okay. I groaned once I had got my breath back only to get Eevee's tongue lapping against me, trying to get a response so I smiled weakly and tickled her chin. "I'm okay." I assured her then turned to look at Gary, who was kneeling beside me, hands planted in the ground as he watched me with concern. "Thanks." I gave him a wry smile. "Did I forget to mention that I can't swim?" Suddenly he cracked a grin.

"I'd appreciate the heads up next time." He told me then shook out his hair as Eevee did the same, giving me a doubly spray and I giggled.

"Hey! Stop that both of you!" Eevee plastered herself to my chest so I cuddled her, making sure she wasn't hurt before sitting up. "Where are we? I've never seen this part of the Safari Zone before." I looked around at the large lake with rocks and what looked like crystals jutting out from the ground.

"I've never been this far either. We're right on the outskirts, possibly even out of the Safari territory." Gary answered, standing up as he looked around. "Maybe there's another way out of here?"

"I hope so, I do not want to drown again." I muttered as I made to get up but stopped when his hand appeared in front of me. I looked up at him and my eyes shone slightly. He looked kind of handsome right now, with the beads of water glittering in the sun as they dripped from his hair. Wait, did I just think that?

Smiling all the same I took his hand and let him help me up, one arm still cradling Eevee who shivered slightly. "Don't worry, you're okay now." I assured her but she continued to shiver so I took out one of my towels and wrapped her up in it to dry her off and keep her warm. "Let's try this way, the ground looks flatter over there." Gary nodded his head then followed my lead as I began to pick my way forwards.

We were met with a dead end, however. In fact, the entire lake was surrounded with a tall wall of cliff that could only be found if you were flying directly above it. "I'll send Pidgeotto, maybe she'll find something." I decided then let her out. "Pidgeotto go!"

"Pidgeo!" She trilled then flew a circle around me in greeting.

"Pidgeotto, can you see any way to get out of this bowl?" I asked her so she looked around then flew up into the sky.

"I'll send my Seadra down to check the water. Maybe there's a different, safer way to get out through the water." Gary said then picked up a Pokéball. "Go Seadra! Find a way out of here!" The Seadra appeared in the water after the flash of light and I gasped.

"Hey! I met you when you were a Horsea didn't I?" I knelt down at the water's edge then reached out to pet the Seadra who burped a few bubbles at me, making me giggle. "Hi! Oh you've grown haven't you? You look totally awesome."

"Seadra! Dra! Dra!" Chuckling I stood up beside Gary.

"If you find anything, let us know." I nodded and the Seadra dived down into the water, which rippled once it was gone.

"Pidgeo!" Pidgeotto called to announce her return and we both looked up to hear her verdict. "Pidgeo, Pidgeotto…" She shook her head so I sighed.

"Thanks anyway Pidgeotto, it was worth a try." I said to her then returned her to her Pokéball before looking to the water. "Looks like we've only got one option." I shuddered then blinked as Gary placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you." He told me sincerely and I was touched by his honestly. Instantly I blushed.

"I'm sorry I said those things to you, they weren't very nice of me." I said and he looked away too.

"No I'm sorry. You're right, I am hotheaded and a bit of a bully, but I just can't seem to help it." He turned back with a small smile. "But hey, I'm trying to be better, some habits just die hard." Giving a chuckle I nodded my head then unwrapped Eevee who nuzzled into me. "Is it okay?"

"She's fine, just a little shocked I think. She loves the water but she wasn't expecting to get a full face of it." Putting her down Eevee bounced around my feet, swishing her tail prettily as I sat down and waited for Seadra to return. "Gary?" He looked down at me then sat also. "Why didn't you tell me you'd watch my fight against Brock?" Instantly he looked ashamed of himself.

"I didn't want to give you the means to gloat. Yeah, I came back from Cerulean to watch your fight, but when I saw how good you were and how close you were to your Pidgeotto, it made me realise how much harder I would need to work to be able to rival you. I guess I said those things because I was jealous." He shrugged. "Plus I saw you with that Brock guy, getting pretty close and that just made me angry." I frowned at him.

"Why would that make you angry?" He gave a shrug.

"I don't know. Comes hand in hand with jealousy, right?" I gave him that point but it still confused me. Just then a shadow began to grow underwater and we both leaned closer, guess Seadra was back already.

However a tiny blue head poked up from the water with a little horn in the middle of its head, large violet eyes, small winged ears and a white muzzle. Oh…my…goodness…IT'S A DRATINI! AGH IT'S SO CUTE! LOOK AT THOSE LARGE EYES AND LITTLE FACE!

"Woah! It's a Dratini!" Gary leaned forwards and both our PokéDex's spoke at the same time.

"Dratini, the Dragon Pokémon. Dratini sheds its skin as it grows, often doing so while hidden behind large powerful waterfalls." I can't believe it. So there really are Dratini in the lake! This is amazing, I can't believe I'm actually seeing a real Dratini! This was another Pokémon my mom fantasised over, dreaming of having on practically everyday of her childhood.

"I'm going to catch it!" Gary suddenly proclaimed and I looked up at him.

"No! You can't!" I hissed and gripped onto his hand and arm, stopping him from throwing the Safari Ball at it.

"What? What do you mean I can't?" I turned and looked at the Dratini, seeing the watery eyes and pleading expression.

"Look at it. It looks sad." I murmured then knelt down at the water's edge as Gary blinked. "Don't be afraid, we're not going to hurt you." Eevee stepped a little closer with curiosity. "What's the matter little one?" Gary knelt down beside me and we both watched the Pokémon as it began to cry out softly, its voice chiming prettily. I listened carefully. It sounded distressed and worried, which meant something was wrong.

"Can you show me? Show me what's wrong?" I questioned and the Dratini swam towards the deeper side of the lake, leading us though it stopped to look back, making sure we were following. I picked up Eevee then ran after it, leaping over Gary who blinked.

"Hey wait for me!" Just then Seadra popped up so he gestured for it to hurry. "Come on Seadra, let's go see what the problem is!" I ran along the bank, following the Dratini as it cut through the water. We snaked our way around the little bowl that trapped us, following the water as it thinned out then suddenly burst into a wider berth, the glittering surface a dark shade of blue.

"Oh!" I gasped, staring at the small island where a poor little Oddish was under attack from several Krabby. How did it get out there? Never mind, that's not the most important factor now. I ground my teeth, angry at the unfair attack. Six against one? How was that even justifiable?

"Okay Pidgeotto, I choose you!" I yelled and sent her out in a flash. She flew up into the air then spiralled down, waiting for my command. "Use Peck on those Krabby then once they're down, grab that Oddish!"

"Pidgeo!" She called then dived down for the attack.

"Seadra use Water Gun! Knock them off that island!" Seadra leaped up from the water and shot its attack at one of the Krabby, the force blowing it off the island as the Oddish looked up weakly, blinking wearily.

"Pidgeo!" Pidgeotto slammed into one of the Krabby and pecked at it repeatedly, forcing it off the rock then did the same for another.

"Now use Gust attack, but be careful!" I called out and Pidgeotto positioned herself over the Oddish then flapped her wings, sending the other Krabby flying off the rock as Seadra took out the rest too. Easy as pie. Pidgeotto then picked up the mostly fainted Oddish and flew it back over to me where I caught it in my arms. "Oh you poor thing, don't worry though, you'll be okay." I promised gently, rubbing its head.

"Pidgeo!" Pidgeotto cried out in warning and I gasped before looking over my shoulder.

"Look out!" I leaped forwards, grabbing Eevee as I went then pushed Gary to the side just as a giant pinsir smashed into the ground where we had just been standing, breaking into the ground. Dratini called out in worry then dove back down into the water.

Spinning around I faced a rather angry Kingler, which glared at us inensely then lifted its pinsirs high. "Kingler!" It bellowed and both the Oddish and Eevee squirmed in my arms.

"Kingler, the evolved form of Krabby. A Pincer Pokémon whose claws can pinch with the power of ten thousand horsepower." Oh great, we're in trouble. BIG trouble! The Kingler slammed its pinsirs into the ground then roared once more, snapping them at us.

"It's using Crabhammer! Watch out!" I called, scrambling to my feet and dragged Gary up behind me but he stopped and turned to face it. "Gary! Are you insane? Can't you see how angry that thing is."

"No problem, I'll just catch it!" Gary answered then picked up a Safari Ball. "Go Safari Ball!" He threw it forwards but the Kingler merely lifted its large pinsir and knocked it aside into the water. "Huh? That was my last one!" I would have slapped my face with a groan.

"Seriously?" I deadpanned then hurried to turn and scramble up some rocks. "Hurry up and get moving! Pidgeotto, use Whirlwind! Try blow it away!"

"Bubblebeam Seadra!" Gary shouted as he raced after me but the Crabhammer slammed into the ground, throwing him to the ground again. The two Pokémon started their attack desperately but it seemed to have very little effect on the Kingler, which scuttled towards Gary with an angry look on its face. Maybe we shouldn't have attacked its babies like that. Lesson learned, _never_ scold someone else's kids.

I gasped as the Kingler lifted a pinsir, ready to slam it down on Gary so I put both the Oddish and Eevee up on a high ledge then jumped back down. "Charmeleon, I choose you too!" I yelled, running forwards as Gary rolled out the way of one of the attacks.

"Charmeleon! Chaaar!" Charmeleon sprung forwards so I spouted off my orders.

"Pidgeotto, use Wing Attack! Charmeleon you use Slash from behind to try distract it whilst I get Gary! Seadra, keep using Bubblebeam and aim for its eyes! That'll blur its vision!" I called out and immediately the Pokémon set to work. Charmeleon leaped forwards, flipping over the Kingler then began to slash from behind and ducked under the clumsy swings of its hammer like pinsirs.

"Gary come on! Get up!" I called, running over to him then helped him to stand. "Are you okay?" He groaned slightly, clutching his side but nodded.

"I'm okay." I looked up into his eyes and he looked back at me and somehow, I felt strangely calm in his presense. Not at all afraid of the big pinsir which was…coming right at us! The Bubblebeam to Kingler's eyes meant that it was now hammering wildly and one of those blows was heading straight for us.

"Look out!" I yelled then shoved Gary aside without thinking, gasping as I turned then met the full force of its Crabhammer. Crying out I flew backwards, feeling the air rush around me before I struck the water with a giant splash.

"Ruby!" Gary yelled but everything after that was a strange blur. I couldn't make out anything as I sank to the bottom. Why did the world insist on me drowning? Seriously, this is ridiculous! I swear, the moment I get out of here I'm going to get lessons and I don't care how long it takes, I am _not_ going to die by drowning!

Suddenly I felt a small body nudge my back but I couldn't react, mainly because I couldn't even feel any of my body I was so shocked by the blow. The serpentine body then wrapped around my wrist then began to swim, pulling me back upwards to the surface and I groaned, slowly regaining sense and feeling.

The moment my head was above water I gasped for air then began to flouder, splashing my arms and legs as the Dratini pulled me towards the island where I gripped on then gasped for breath. It chimed its soft little cry and I smiled to it soflty.

"Thank you Dratini." I murmured then looked up as Pidgeotto gave a cry and I turned to see her being knocked out of the sky, Gary unconscious on the ground and Charmeleon was the next to be struck, the hammer blow sending him flying into the rocks where he slid down faintly. "Hey! Leave our Pokémon alone you big brute!" I bellowed in rage then dragged myself up onto the island, standing with feet planted firmly apart though I trembled slightly. "Okay Dratini, let's show this Kingler who owns this lake!" I called and Dratini narrowed its eyes and swam in front of me, ready to fight. "You and me, we can do this. Use…what moves do you know?" I questioned, blinking dumbly down but Dratini was already way ahead of me.

Electriciy rippled across its body as it lifted its head then called out with a battle cry, sending the streams of sparks at Kingler. Cool! Thunderwave! Now that it's paralysed, the Kingler won't be able to move!

"Great start Dratini, now use Dragon Rage!" Completely out of the box, I was kind of hoping Dratini knew the move as I had already seen its effect, and it was after all a dragon type Pokémon. Luckily Dratini opened its mouth, soflty shouting into the twister of air which slammed into Kingler, throwing it completely off balance and hammered it into the rocks.

The tremble woke Gary up and he groaned, rubbing his head before looking across to me and Dratini. "Now let's hit 'em with Slam! Go for it Dratini!" Dratini dived down into the water then all at once sprang forwards, its forehead glowing at the little bump as it chimed confidently.

Dratini hit Kingler with its entire body and the Pokémon was flung backwards again, groaning as it took extra damage. Pidgeotto now managed to stand up and fluttered her feathers, shaking herself out of her daze but I returned both her and Charmeleon to their Pokéball regardless. "You've done great Pidgeotto, Charmeleon, you both take a rest now." I said to them gently then looked up. "Finish this Dratini, use Twister!"

I was now remembering the move list Dratini learned from a magazine I had read ages ago. It was a godo thing my mom was so interested in Pokémon as she had kept all the magazines from her child, describing each of the Pokémon and their moves and I had studied every single one of them.

Dratini angled her head upwards and a Twister rippled out from its mouth spiralling upwards then moved towards the Kingler. It swallowed up the Pokémon, lifting it off the ground then it began to circle in the air, groaning loudly as the Twister flung it to the opposite side of the lake, where it fell into the deep water then did not resurface. "Alright! We did it Dratini!" I cheered and Dratini answered my elated call, leaping up into the air with sparkling droplets dancing around it as it cried out victoriously.

It leaped into my arms and I cuddled it, laughing as I rubbed my head into its cheek. "You were fantastic, Dratini, that Kingler will think again before bullying anyone else. You don't need to worry about it anymore." Dratini cooed then nuzzled my nose before leaping back into the water. Then I blinked. Uh…how was I supposed to get to the other side from this island?

"Hey Ruby! Seadra will give you a ride, just jump in and hold on!" Gary called and Seadra popped up in front of me so I smiled.

"Okay." I nodded, sucked in a deep breath then jumped into the water. Seadra instantly swam closer to me, circling me once as I smiled then held onto its body as it lifted me up to the surface where we then cut through the water until I was able to walk out myself.

"You were awesome, Rubes, that was pretty impressive." I scowled at him for calling me Rubes then shrugged.

"Can't compete with such natural talent, maybe you're lucky I'm not trying to be a Pokémon Master anymore, otherwise you'd never reach the top." I poked him playfully and he smirked before shrugging.

"Maybe, we'll see about that. We should battle it out someday to see who really has the best team."

"Sure thing, I'll take you on anyday." I nodded my head in agreement then turned to Seadra. "So did you find a way out?" It nodded its head, splashing the water at me and I chuckled. "It doesn't happen to be a very small cave deep underwater, is it?" Slowly Seadra nodded its head so I sighed. "Well, looks like today is just one of those waterlogged days." I said as I stood then looked up to Gary. "Could Seadra take us one at a time?" I asked and he nodded his head.

"Sure, no problem. You go first." He offered but I shook my head.

"No, you go, I need to get Eevee and Oddish over to the other side and I doubt they'd happily wait with you here. You go and I'll just help Oddish, it needs some treatment now." Gary nodded his head then dived into the water, never resurfacing. "Go Pidgeotto!"

Pidgeotto appeared but looked tired so I took my backpack and sprayed her with some Super Potion, revitilising her. "Okay, can you carry Eevee back over for me then come back for Oddish? Gary should already be there so he'll watch them until I can get through." I said to her, rubbing her head and she nodded.

"Pidgeo!" She rose up and flapped her wings, following me as I approached Eevee and Oddish, who looked exhausted and battered.

"Vee! Vee!"

"Yeah I'm fine, I promise." I smile, laughing as she leaped into my arms then snuggled in close. "Pidgeotto is going to carry you out of here, okay? You will need to wait with Gary until I can get there but I promise I won't be long, okay?"

"Vee." She nodded her head then let me lift her up into the air where Pidgeotto took hold of her gently then flew up into the sky. I then turned to Oddish with my Super Potion and sprayed it, put the bottle away then lifted it up into my arms.

"You poor thing, does that feel better?"

"Oddish!" It nodded its head then danced on my head, springing around whilst waving its leafy head and I giggled. Pidgeotto soon returned and I let her take Oddish away before turning to the water. Seadra leaped out of the water a moment later, trilling happily as it gave a little display for me.

"You look beautiful Seadra." I laughed then slid back into the water again. "Okay, I'm ready." I said then held onto its body, taking a deep breath before diving down again. This time I didn't panic, feeling perfectly at ease as Seadra was quite quick and agile in the water and I had plenty of breath this time.

I was guided into the cave and I kicked my legs to help push us along, holding on securely as we journeyed through the darkness then up into the light, where I broke the surface then drew in a deep breath. "Ruby?" Gary called and stepped into the water, wading over to me as Seadra continued to pull me forwards.

He gripped me under the arms then helped me get to the shore, tired and aching all over. "Thanks Gary." I murmured then collapsed onto the grass and both Eevee and Oddish sprang on me so I smiled and hugged them both. "I think I want to sleep for a week now. That was exhausting, drowning twice really takes it out of you!" He laughed, shaking out his hair then placed his hand on his hips.

"How come you don't know how to swim?" He asked me and I shrugged.

"Never learned. Regretting it now though, I think I'll get lessons from somewhere. Maybe I'll stop at Cerulean City and ask Misty's sisters if they'd mind tutoring me." It was a good idea, plus it would give me time to study their water Pokémon.

Shaking my head I sent out Charmeleon who glared at me. "Char! Char!"

"I'm sorry you got beat up, but look at you! You just showed it how big and strong you are." I said to him then gave him some berries which would boost back up his strength. I shared some with Eevee, Pidgeotto, Oddish and Seadra then sat down again on the grassy bank.

"Char, Charmeleon." He snorted at me then whacked me with his tail.

"Ow! Hey, I thought we were past that?" I pouted at him but he folded his arms then looked away.

"Charmeleon."

"Are you still miffed you lost the fight? Charmeleon, you can't win every fight every time. That Kingler was huge! Plus you had a type disadvantage. You did your best and that's all anyone could ever ask of you. I mean, remember how you took on that Machamp! That was impressive, plus you helped us escape from the St Anne after it capsied." I reached out and rubbed his warm head, making his mouth drop open as it sighed.

"Chaaaar…"

"So don't be put down, you're always going to be the strongest Pokémon in my eyes." I told him with a smile then flung my arms around him, daring to cross the boundry. Charmeleon looked at me then slowly leaned his head into mine, rubbing his nose into my hair before drawing back. I beamed happily, completely filled with elation at the sign of affection he had shown me. I lifted his Pokéball offeringly and he nodded, standing up. "Come on, I think it's time we went back, Fraiser must be worried about us by now."

Charmeleon nodded his head then allowed himself to return to his Pokéball before I turned to Pidgeotto. "You too Pidgeotto, I'm very proud of you today, as always! You're a star." I beamed and she danced in front of me happily before flying into the red beam to be accepted back into the Pokéball.

Seadra also went back to Gary and I picked up Eevee, tickling her chin before looking to Oddish. "You take it easy now okay? I don't know how you got in there but please be careful! You could have been seriously hurt and we would never have known until it was too late."

"Oddish!" It nodded its head then leaped up into the air, waggling its feet before hopping away into the bushes, happily singing away. I turned with Gary to leave when I heard a voice call out from the lake.

We both turned and saw Dratini looking at us, where it then called out again and swam further forwards. I blinked then regarded it carefully, reading its eyes. "Hey Gary, I think it wants to come with us." I said then looked at Dratini. "You want to come travelling Dratini?" It nodded its head then leaped out of the water, arcing round then dove back in with a small splash before resurfacing again. I smiled then looked at Gary. "Looks like you get Dratini after all."

"Huh? You want me to catch it?" But Dratini began to make desperate sounds and it shook its head, swimming closer to my side and I looked with surprise as Gary chuckled. "I think it wants _you_ to be its trainer. Right Dratini?" Dratini nodded my head and I knelt down at the water's edge to get closer to it, Eevee still in my arms.

"Is that what you want Dratini? You want to come with me?" I asked and it nodded its head. Standing up with a smile I tucked Eevee into one arm and picked up a spare Pokéball. "Alright then! Go Pokéball!" I threw it at Dratini who leaped up into the red beam with a mystical chime of its voice and then let itself into the Pokéball, which I caught back in my hand then looked at it proudly as the flashing red light then died out. "Welcome to the group Dratini, I hope I can do you proud." I murmured then clicked the Pokéball onto my belt.

Turning around I faced Gary who smirked cheerfully. "I'm sorry you didn't get your Dratini."

"No sweat, I think it'll turn out to be a much better Pokémon with you taking care of it." Gary said then offered me a hand to help me up the bank. I took it gratefully and together we staggered up the bank, soaking wet but smiling all the same. We got only a few paces when I saw a Safari Jeep racing over to us, Fraiser at the wheel.

"Ruby! Are you alright? You've been gone a long time, we were starting to get worried." He said then glared at Gary who didn't appear at all nervous of the towering ranger that now loomed over him. "Are you to blame for this young man?" I chuckled and stepped out in between them, lifting my hands.

"It's okay, Fraiser, Gary actually kind of saved my life. I hooked a Pokémon but it pulled us into the water. I'm really sorry but I lost the pole as I let it go, but I can't actually swim but Gary dived in and rescued me." I explained to him briefly then lowered my voice. "But we saw something amazing! I think you'd love to see the Pokémon I caught, though it should stay between us three." I gave Gary a pointed glare. "Right?"

"Sure, whatever." Unsatisfied with his answer I grabbed his ear and yanked him down.

" _Right_?" I reiterated as he squirmed.

"Ow! Ow! Yes alright! I won't breathe a word of it I swear!" Nodding my head I then let him go. Fraiser gave me a curious look.

"What are you up to?" I beamed at him.

"I caught a Dratini!" His face fell and he actually collapsed in shock, twitching on the ground as he groaned.

"A Dratini?" He breathed and I nodded my head excitedly.

"You see, the Pokémon actually dragged us through a secret tunnel underwater and we found this large lake where Dratini was. You see, it was afraid of all these Krabby and Kingler that were beating up an Oddish, though I have no idea how it got there, so we battled them all but the Kingler was so strong it took out all my Pokémon, so I battled with Dratini's help and we defeated it." I gushed, practically slurring my words together as Fraiser stood up and brushed himself off. "We got back through the tunnel once the fight was over but Dratini wanted to come with me, so it let me capture it. Isn't that awesome?" I beamed up at Fraiser who was smiling, his eyes filling with tears.

"All my life I have dreamed of seeing a Dratini…and now you have captured its heart. We'd best get you back to the hut before you both catch cold, but if you would allow it, Ruby, I would love to see your Dratini." I nodded my head and went to call it out but he clasped my hands. "No, not here, not when anyone could see, you're lucky the cameras are temporarily down in this section. Come on, jump in." He got back into the jeep and I leaped into my usual seat, holding Eevee who pawed at my face then licked my cheek.

"You're okay Eevee, that was quite an adventure, wasn't it?" I smiled down at her and she nodded her head.

"Vee! Vee!" She jumed down into my lap then placed he paws on the dashboard, sticking out her tongue as the wind whipped through her fur. I glanced back to Gary who was sitting in the back of the jeep and he turned his head to look at me, so I quickly looked away again.

The moment we got to the hut, Agatha came rushing outside with a look of relief on her face. "Oh thank goodness! When Fraiser radioed saying you were missing, we feared the worst!" I smiled as she wrapped me and Eevee up in a towel then let her lead me inside.

I had a shower and changed, putting on a pair of cargo bottoms, a black tank top then tied my newly dry red neckerchief around my neck, setting the triagle to the left side over my collarbone then pulled on my own gloves, my fingertips poking through.

Shaking out my loose hair, which was beginning to curl because it had just been washed, I let it hang lose then stepped out into the front where Gary was already waiting. He glanced up at me then did a double take, though I can't think why, I didn't look anything special.

"Ah, dear, Fraiser has just filled me in on everything that happened." Agatha said to me, putting her hands on my shoulders then sat me down in my favourite chair, where Eevee then leaped up into my lap and I curled my arms around her. "Would you let us see it? Please?"

"Sure." I nodded then picked up the Pokéball. "Come on out Dratini, I want you to meet my friends." Dratini burst out of the Pokéball with a flash of light then appeared on the floor facing me. It greeted me with a cute sound then looked around to Agatha and Fraiser, who gasped and looked down with tears in their eyes.

"So it is true, the legendary Pokémon…all this time we have been searching and now here it is…" Agatha wiped her eyes then smiled to me. "I can't think of a better trainer for it, you are obviously something very special, Ruby, if it has chosen you."

"Driii! Drii!" Dratini agreed then leaped up into my lap, nuzzling into Eevee who opened one eye then shifted, placing one paw over Dratini who then curled up with her. Aw this is just too cute, wait until mom meets them!

"Ruby, you must understand that this Pokémon is highly sought after. You must not let it go for any reason or its power could be used for great wrong." Fraiser said to me and I looked down to Dratini as she slept curled up with Eevee. "You must not tell anyone where you captured it or we shall be overrun with Pokémon trainers, which is good for business but shall ruin the Pokémon's habitat here. You know when news first broke out about there being Dratini here, trainers flocked here from all over. It was like a massacre, they battled and weakened our Pokémon to capture them too, leaving many seriously injured, which is why we introduced the no battling policy, to keep our Pokémon safe."

"You have my word, I won't let anyone know." I promised but then thought about Ash, Brock and Misty. "Except my friends, Ash, Brock and Misty. I would never lie to them and I trust them completely with a secret, they care about Pokémon as much as I do. Brock and Misty are Gym Leaders and Ash started out from Pallet Town the same time Gary and I did." Gary snorted.

"Though he's lagging behind now, might as well give up." I glared at him.

"It doesn't matter how fast someone collects badges! All that matters is that you do your best to earn them!" Gary snorted then looked away with a smug look on his face.

"Sure, says the girl who returned her badges because she didn't think she deserved them." Ugh! Why does he do this? One moment he's as sweet and nice as a lollypop man then he's the world's biggest ignoramus!

"You know that's not true! I gave them back because I changed my mind about becoming a Pokémon Trainer! You're such a jerk, Gary, can't you be nice for more than fifteen minutes?" I yelled at him, startling Dratini and Eevee in my lap.

"You're the one who's so easy to irritate, it's not my fault you have a short temper." Gary snapped back and I leaped up though I still held both Dratini and Eevee in my arms.

"I do not have a short temper!" I yelled then blinked when I realised he was right. Oh well. "You're a big headed pain in the backside!" Gary jumped up too, practically going nose to nose with me.

"You're a loud mouthed, mould brained shrimp!" Oh no, he did not just insuly my height. No one insults my height and gets away with it! He's in for it big now!

"You're insufferable Gary Oak! I hope you fall in some Pokémon manure then choke to death on it!" He leaned a little closer, eyes blazing brightly and I could see my reflection in his brown orbs. I looked just as terrifying.

"Well if I die then who's gonna rescue you from drowning next time? Or catch you when you fall off a cliff?" That struck a nerve. I growled, glaring with all the heat and anger I could muster then exploded.

"Ugghhh…I HATE YOU GARY OAK!" Suddenly Fraiser and Agatha were laughing and I blinked before looking at them with a questioning look. "What's so funny?"

"You two, honestly. You fight like an old married couple. We should know." Agatha chuckled as she laced her fingers through Fraiser's and he pulled her closer, placing a hand on her waist to smile lovingly down at her. They gazed into one another's eyes adoringly then he lowered his head down and kissed her softly, making both Gary and I retch before looking at one another.

I stared at him a moment, horrified at the thought of us old and married then turned my back, lifting my chin proudly. "I'd never kiss _that_ thing, it probably has rabies." I announced and Gary turned his back also.

"Why would I want you? I have a whole load of cheerleaders who want to date me." He answered so I turned around with a smirk.

"Oh? So where are they now then? And why _aren't_ you dating one of them if they're all so pretty and fabulous?" Gary turned and glared back me, nose to nose once more.

"They didn't want to come to the Safari and I told them not to anyway! They would've scared all the Pokémon away. Besides, I could date _any_ of them if I _wanted_ to!" Snorting in disbelief I turned around again.

"If that's what makes you sleep better then you believe that." He growled, glowing bright red as I stroked Eevee's head. Agatha sighed, shook her head then clapped her hands.

"Alright you two, let's break it up. How about we have some dinner? It's starting to get late."

"No thanks, I've got a ride into town. I've got to send all my new Pokémon over to my grandpa." Gary said to them. "Thanks for everything, you'll probably see me again soon." He walked towards the door and I kept my back turned to him, refusing to even look at that creep. "See you later Rubes." That got my attention.

"My name is Ruby you jerk!" I yelled, catching his smirk before he slipped out the door. "Ugh! Stupid boy." I mumbled under my breath then sighed. "Sorry guys, did I scare you?" I fretted over Eevee and Dratini, hugging them closer as Agatha continued to smile almost knowingly.

"You know, you two remind me of myself and Fraiser when we were younger. We used to fight all the time, even when we were kids!" Fraiser chuckled.

"We hated one another at first, you know. Maybe one day you two'll wake up one day and find yourself in love with each other." Instantly I felt like vomiting.

"Ew no! That's gross!" I shivered then stuck out my tongue. "I'd sooner let myself be swallowed by a Muk than fall in love with stupid Gary Oak!"


	23. Chapter 23

The next morning in said my goodbyes to everybody. The team in our sector all gathered outside the gates, some of the Pokémon I had befriended joining also. I waved to them, smiling as the two Fearow from before rubbed their long beaks into my cheeks, making me giggle then hand them one last treat before they flew back inside.

"Goodbye everyone! Thank you so much for everything, I'll definitely be back!" I called and Agatha smiled before putting something into my backpack.

"Just some snacks for your journey, I don't want you getting hungry on the blimp now."

"Thanks Agatha, you're the best!" I beamed then hugged her. When I pulled away Eevee rubbed into Agatha's legs, looking up at her sweetly and she chuckled before stooping down to stroke her. I turned and faced Fraiser, who put his hands on his hips whilst regarding me carefully.

"You sure proved yourself to be a great kid, Ruby. I'm sorry I ever doubted you." He said then reached up to his cowboy hat. I gasped as he lifted it off his head then dropped it on mine, revealing pale grey wispy hair ontop of his head. "You look after yourself now and remember, you can never stop learning about the secrets of Pokémon." Nodding my head I tilted the hat back to grin up at him.

"I'll remember." I promised then threw my arms around his waist. He blinked in surprise then chuckled, placing his hand on my shoulder and the other on my back to embrace me back before I pulled away. Eevee placed her front paws on his leg, smiling up at him and he smiled before picking her up and looking directly at her.

"Now, I want you to help protect and look after this girl. She's something special and she'll be the best trainer you could ever dream of, alright?"

"Vee! Vee!" She licked his face before he could pull back then wriggled, leaping out of his hands into my arms and I caught her with a laugh.

"Goodbye!" I called one last time, looking back with a wave then head towards the tourist jeep that was going to take me to the blimp station. I climbed on along with all the other tourists who were heading into town and chose a seat at the back where I turned and continued to wave at everybody even as we began to move off.

I was kind of sad to leave, but the next part of my journey beckoned and I had to keep on moving. Everyone continued to wave goodbye as I was driven down the road and I only turned around again when they were out of sight.

"Vee…" Eevee said to me and I sighed.

"I know little one, I liked it there too." I sighed then tickled her belly to cheer her up. "But we're going to a new place to make new friends, then after that maybe I'll meet up with Ash and the gang and I can introduce you, I know they'll love you, especially Misty. We're going to see her sisters now, in fact and they own a Water Pokémon based gym, so you can play in the water all day if you like."

"Vee! Vee!" Eevee trilled, excited by the prospect. I smiled then tucked her up in my arms, sighing softly as I looked to the road ahead.

* * *

Entering the Cerulean Gym I was instantly swarmed by three shrieking sisters. "Is that an Eevee? Oh it's so cute! It's like, totally great to see you!" Lily beamed as she gripped my arm and pulled me inside. "What brings you back here? Where's MIisty?"

"She's still with Ash and Brock." I answered, blinking as Violet and Daisy pulled Eevee out of my arms and began to tickle and fawn over her, making her squeal happily. "I was actually hoping to ask a favour."

"Sure! What do you need?" Violet asked. "Oh by the way, Misty totally already called and told us about your totally fabulous idea! It's super awesome and we totally want to back you up." The three sisters joined together and struck a pose, each one of them smiling and winking. "The Three Sensationals will totally support you!"

"Thanks." I blushed with a smile then cleared my throat. "But this is a little different. You see, in order to start up a sanctuary, I need to know all about Pokémon and their habitats, their personalities and their needs, so I was hoping you could tell me all about your water Pokémon…and also teach me how to swim." They stared at me.

"You can't swim?" Daisy gasped, hands jumping to her mouth. "What a bummer! Sure of course we'll teach you! You couldn't have asked anyone better to learn how to swim from!" She struck another pose. "The Three Sensational Sisters will make a champion swimmer of you. Let's go!"

"What, now?" I blinked and Lily giggled.

"No time like the present, come on! We've closed the gym today anyway because our Pokémon need a rest, so the pool is all free!"

"Wait, you're not going to throw me in the deep end, are you?" I yelped and they all laughed.

"Of course not, come on we'll show you where you can change into your swimming costume then we can start in the baby pool. That's where we keep all the baby water Pokémon who need help learning how to swim confidently and lets us easily check up on how they're doing." Violet said and I was ushered along by the three sisters.

I changed into my costume, a simple red onepiece then followed Daisy through the gym before she stopped by a door. "You're like, super lucky, we don't let just _anyone_ into the nursery pool. Come on in and see." Eagerly I followed her inside. Instantly my eyes sparkled.

The pool was massive but not very deep and it was decorated with rocks, coral and seaweed just like a normal ocean setting, but there were loads of baby Pokémon in there! There were mainly tiny Goldeen, but there were also Staryu, Shellder and Horsea too! And they were all so cute!

"Oh my gosh, they're adorable!" I went to run forwards but Violet gripped my shoulders and rooted me to the spot.

"Hold up, you can't just run into the water like that, you'll scare them. Baby Pokémon are extremely shy and their parents are very protective, so you'll have to be careful. Come on I'll introduce you, but you have to be, like, totally quiet." Nodding my head I let her take my hand and pull me forwards.

We entered the pool until we were knee deep then sat down, waiting for the Pokémon to come to us. "They feel safer if you let them make the first move, let them like, check you out or whatever." Violet said to me and I made a mental note to make a note later.

Sitting in the cool water I kept quiet and very still, watching as slowly, the Pokémon began to gather closer. They were used to Violet which meant they were far more relaxed and curious about coming to see mee. One Staryu squirted a tiny Water Gun at me and I giggled at it. "How long do they stay with their parents?" I asked.

"Well, it totally depends on the Pokémon. Some need the protection of their parents longer than others, but we keep them in here until they get too big, so no more than three months." She said to me as Lily joined us.

"Yeah, these guys are all starting to be weened off their mom's. We increase separation time bit by bit until they are completely independent, then we can release them into the wild." Daisy sat on Violet's other side, picking up a Horsea with a giggle.

"Unless the Pokémon decide to stay, that is. Though we do our best to release as many as possible and sometimes we give them to little kids as perfect starter Pokémon." She giggled as the Horsea blew bubbles into her face. "You see, although we love to play with them, we don't allow too much contact, because that would like, totally ruin their instincts. They'd become more interested in humans and wouldn't really be wild Pokémon."

"I see, so how often do you interact with them?" I asked and Violet answered.

"We always check up on them every day, but most of the time we just stand up in the stands and just check on how everything is going and feed them, but proper interaction like this only happens every few weeks or something like that." Eevee bounded into the water then began to swim as she went out of her depth, lifting her chin and paddling over to me.

"Hey girl, you joining us?" I questioned and she chirped sweetly.

"Vee! Vee!" Chuckling I picked her up then set her in my lap and she watched the water Pokémon curiously, reaching out to offer her paw to one of the Shellder but snatched it back when it clicked its shell shut at her. "Vee?"

"Be careful now, it's only a baby." I whispered to her, tickling her underside so she rolled over in my arms and kicked up her legs.

"Vee Vee!"

"It's so adorable, like, totally super cute!" Lily squealed. "And it loves water, you should totally evolve it into a Vaporeon!" A Vaporeon? Looking down at Eevee I guess Lily was right. Eevee really did love water but I thought back to what that awful girl had said.

"I don't know, her previous owner tried to evolve her but it didn't work, maybe Eevee doesn't want to evolve?" I hugged her, burying my face into her fur with a smile. "I wouldn't change her if she didn't want to change, and I don't think I want her to either. She's perfect the way she is." The sisters all smiled at one another then stood up.

"Okay! Time for your first lesson!" I gulped but nodded my head bravely, standing up also and handed Eevee over to Daisy who sat on the side as Violet and Lily started my lesson. I showed them how far I had gotten with Misty, managing to float on my back without support so they continued it form there.

We worked on me moving my arms and legs at the same time in large movements that made me look like a Tentacool but it worked, because I could then move through the water with relative ease. We practiced the backstroke then moved onto my front, where I gripped on tightly to a float for support whilst kicking my legs to move forwards.

After two hours of practice we called it a day, had lunch together and I pulled out my striped notepad to write down all I had found out today about water Pokémon, getting tips and ideas from the girls about how to build my future aquarium, like how to keep the tank clean, what to feed everyone and how to keep up their exercise, because sometimes swimming around wasn't enough. I had to keep them entertained too.

Although Misty's sisters were quite vain and sometimes a little full of themselves, they were nice girls and I liked them. We became good friends, in fact. I helped them out at shows, giving out tickets and welcoming everyone whilst they got ready then sold snacks and drinks during the interval, allowing the girls extra time to rest before their second half. I felt I was the one winning though, because I got to watch all their shows for free _and_ learn about their water Pokémon.

My lessons continued every day for two hours after the gym closed. As I gained confidence, I began to rely more and more on myself rather than the sisters or the floats. Sometimes I would sink but then one of the Pokémon would rise up underneath me and give me a grin as they helped me sort myself out.

Seel and I became best pals. Every lesson he would swim around me, clapping his fins whenever I did well and I would giggle as he swam circles around me and leap up into the air with a playful flick of his tail before landing with a splash, covering me with spray. "Seel! Stop doing that you cheeky little Pokémon! I'm trying to concentrate!" I laughed, shaking out my face then continued to laugh as he leaped several times over my head back and forth.

He offered me his fins so I held onto them and he spun me around, his powerful tail controlling the movement as I kicked with my legs to keep my head above water. "Yeah! Go Ruby!" Lily called with a beam. "You're totally getting the hang of this now!" I waved back, holding myself up in the water by kicking my legs then swam to the edge. "We think you can, totally like, try the big pool now and we'll even teach you how to dive like us!"

"That'll be great!" I nodded excitedly then looked to Eevee. "Shall we give it a go?" I asked and she flipped over her head with a trill.

"Vee!" Grinning I hauled myself out the pool then laughed as Seel jumped out too, slapping the ground with his tail. Eevee leaped over to Seel and they rubbed heads. They'd also grown rather close during our stay here, they were like best friends, never far from the other.

"Come on guys, let's go try the big pool." I smiled and they followed after me and Lily. Diasy and Violet were already waiting, standing on boards and as we entered, they waved then leaped off, tucking up easily then dived into the pool after opening up. "You all make it seem so effortless." I sighed softly then looked to Lily. "Okay, I'm ready to try the deep end." I said to her and she grinned.

"Great! Jump in!" So I turned and leaped into the water, tucking up into a ball then dropped in with a huge splash as I went under. Seel dived in after me and shot around me in several circles, his speed completely outranking mine and I giggled before swimming up to the surface with him.

I broke free then flicked back my hair, smiling as I shook the water off my face then began to swim. "That's great Ruby!" Lily called. "Just remember to breathe when you look at me, okay? One, two breathe! One, two breathe!" She chanted so I followed her rhythm.

"Kick those legs, you're doing awesome!" Lily said as she rode on a Seaking, waving as she surfed beside me and Violet swam at my side.

"You're really swimming! You see, we told you you'd get the hang of it in no time. You're a natural." They all praised as I reached the other side, gasping for air but still very happy with myself.

"Thanks everyone, I couldn't have done it without you." I answered then smiled as Eevee ran over then rubbed her face into my cheek.

"Vee! Vee!"

"Are you proud of me too?" I giggled as she nodded her head then began to lick my face, tickling my skin until I had to tickler _her_ to make her stop. "So how about diving then? Show me what to do!" I beamed then lifted myself up onto the side.

My lessons progressed from there, starting on the ground in a sitting position and getting used to letting my hands and head go in first though at first I found it a little frightening. However the three sisters were very patient with me and no matter how many times I backed out at the last second or flailed around, they calmed me down then started again.

Eventually I got used to diving in headfirst so I moved up in height until I was standing. They showed me different dives, the Swan Dive, Racing Dive and all their neat little tricks until I was happily springing off the bottom board.

From there I continued to gain height until finally, I was diving off the top board in sync with them all. As we resurfaced from a rather impressive leap, we all grinned at one another. "Yo, we should like, totally adobt you or something!" Daisy beamed at me as I laughed, rubbing Seel's head as he weaved in and out of us. "You could totally be a Fifth Sensational Sister."

"Thanks but I think it looks better with just you and Misty." I smiled to them. "Besides, I have a lot of work still to do, I've got to keep learning about Pokémon and how to take care of them!" Looking to the side where Eevee was sitting patiently, I waved at her and she stood up.

"Vee!"

"Thank you all so much for your help, now I totally don't need someone to come rescue me from drowning." I winced inwardly at that. I guess they had rubbed off on me more than I thought.

"No problem, you've been a big help too." Violet said to me and the other two both nodded.

"Totally, thanks for helping with the Pokémon, even the yucky bits like cleaning the tanks." Lily winked at me and I laughed.

"I enjoyed it all, honestly, I did. But I think I better get going now, I've been off the road for two weeks now!" We raced one another to the edge and I of course came last, but I didn't mind that. I was just glad that I could finally swim competently. All I need now was practice.

I climbed out the pool, picked up Eevee then went to the showers to wash and change, feeling more comfortable once I had my red necktie and Fraiser's hat on. Walking to the entrance the three sisters met me, looking quite sad. "We'll totally like, miss you Ruby. You can come back any time." Violet said to me as she gave me a hug.

"Thanks, I sure will." I promised them, hugging Lily and Daisy too.

"Seel? Seel, Seel!" I chuckled then put Eevee down to say goodbye to her friend as I rubbed his head.

"Goodbye Seel, I'll be back soon I promise." I said to him as Eevee play tackled him. Standing up I looked at the three girls who were smiling at me. "Good luck with your shows, I know you'll all be amazing and totally fabulous as always." I winked and held up my fingers in a victory sign, smilling before stooping down and picking Eevee up. "See you all later!" I called then head out, looking back as they called after me.

"Tell Misty we miss our baby sis!"

"Yeah, tell her she stinks too!" I laughed at Lily then waved. They continued to wave until I was at the end of the path and heading out of town then caught a bus to cover some ground quickly. Now I could head to Cinnabar Island. I'd put this off long enough and although Charmeleon and I were better off now, I could tell he still wanted to go home.

After a few hours I got off the bus then let Pidgeotto out for some flight time. "Okay Eevee, you ready? Go!" I cheered then flung the tennis ball forwards, letting her chase after it before running after her with a laugh. She bounded after it, calling happily then pounced on it, catching it in her paws then swatted at it, squealing happily as she then rolled onto her back whilst batting it into the air. "Great job Eevee." I smiled as she let me take the ball then I threw it up for Pidgeotto.

"Pidgeo!" She called and snatched it easily, but Eevee suddenly lifted her head and sniffed the air.

"Eevee? What's wrong?" I asked her and she gasped.

"Vee!" Suddenly she darted forwards and I yelped.

"Hey wait! Don't run too far ahead!" I called then whistled for Pidgeotto, who flew after me through the trees that Eevve was now running through. "Eevee! Where are you going?" I called, watching her tail disappear into some bushes.

I leaped over them, clearing them easily then stopped short at the scene. "Vee! Vee!"

"Oh! It's another Eevee!" Misty squealed then dropped to her knees. "Hey there, where did you come from?" Brock and Ash looked in shock as my Eeeve ran to another, who was tied up to a tree with a bowl of food and water there for it too.

"Hey! I'm going to catch it! That way we can both get an Eevee Misty!" Ash proclaimed but before he could reach for a Pokéball I reached out and smacked him upside the head. "YOW!"

"Don't you dare try capturing my Pokémon Ash Ketchum, or I'll tie _you_ up to a tree and leave you there." I told him sharply, putting my hands on my hips and everyone looked around to face me.

"Ruby! You're back!" Misty beamed, leaping up with the abandoned Eevee in her arms. "How are you? Did you learn lots about Pokémon? Where did you get this Eevee? Oh it's so cute, can I hug it too?" I laughed then scooped Eevee up, letting her get close to the other Eevee who then nuzzled noses with it.

"I found her as her trainer was trying to abandon her three weeks ago. I've adopted her." I explained with a smile. "And yeah, I learned so much! Plus, I actually captured my first wild Pokémon at the Safari Zone, and you'll never guess what it is." I said proudly, stepping back and putting Eevee on my shoulder as I put my hands on my hips.

"Ooh! Is it a Tentacool?" Misty asked with her eyes sparkling but I shook my head.

"Nope."

"A Scyther? Or a Heracross? What is it?!" Ash wailed, desperate to know as he gripped his face, bouncing from foot to foot in anticipation.

"Did you catch a Graveller?" Brock guessed. "They are pretty awesome rock Pokémon." But I continued to shake my head.

"No, you are all wrong. Do you give up?" They nodded their heads so I smiled. "I caught a Dratini!" Their faces all fell in astonishment. Ash even dropped to the ground as Pikachu looked at him with a frown.

"Pika?" Thinking Ash had fainted, Pikachu gave Ash a large shock which made him yell from the sudden electricity pumping through him.

"PI-KA-CHU!" Blinking Pikachu stopped his attempt at helping Ash then poked his face.

"Pika Pi?" Ash groaned, smoking on the floor.

"Thanks buddy." He muttered and I giggled as Pikachu then turned to me then raced up my leg to my shoulder to hug me and I tickled his chin, making his red cheek sacks spark with electricity. "You caught a Dratini? Really? Where did you get it? I want one!" Ash leaped to his feet and began to dart around me, trying to see. "If I had a Dratini then I could definitely beat that Gary!"

"Ash, calm down!" I smacked his head again and he yelped before rubbing the injured area. "You can't tell anyone I have one or where I got it, understand? It has to be a secret. I'm only telling you guys because I trust you." Misty nodded her head quickly.

"Sure! Just please, let us see!" So I picked up Dratini's Pokéball and sent her out.

"Come and meet the gang Dratini!" Beaming I watched as she materialised, blinking softly then called out. Misty then gave the loudest squeal, her eyes sparkling brightly as she scooped the Dratini up into her arms with the Eevee, who I noticed was wearing a collar.

"AGH! IT'S SO CUTE!" She practically yelled as she hugged it.

"Drii?" Dratini blinked then began to wriggle so I picked her out of Misty's arms before she could crush her.

"So what about this cute little fella, where did he come from?" I asked, putting Dratini on my other shoulder which now meant both my hands were free to tickle its chin. It perked up a bit and licked my fingers, making me giggle.

"We just found it. It looks like it's been abandoned." I cast my eye around the little hollow then sighed. This is just awful. I really hate some people, you know, more than Gary even. Gary was a jerk, but at least he cared about his Pokémon.

"Look at his tag." Misty said, turning it up towards us and Ash leaned forwards to read it.

"Hmm…Stone Town."

"Hey, isn't that the town at the base of Evolution Mountain?" I questioned. "Where all the evolution stones can be found?"

"Yeah that's right." Brock nodded his head. "We should try find this Eevee's owner, maybe this is all just a misunderstanding." He suggested and I humphed slightly.

"It had better be, or I'm going to have to give that trainer a large piece of my mind and they're not going to like what I have to say about abandoning their Pokémon." Reaching up to both Eevee and Dratini I stroked their heads. "Pokémon put their trust in us so its unfair to betray them."

"Come on let's go!" Ash called then began to run ahead with Pikachu at his feet. "Hurry up you guys!" I rolled my eyes.

"Still far too much energy to be normal I see." I sighed then hung back with the others. "So what's happened with you guys?"

"Ash got his Rainbow Badge from Erika." Misty supplied. "And the Marsh Badge from Sabrina in Saffron City. He had to catch a Ghost Pokémon to try and beat her and he found a Haunter, but in the end Pikachu wanted to fight the Kadabra again as Haunter disappeared." She told me and Brock continued.

"Yeah, but then Haunter appeared and started doing this tricks for Sabrina, making her laugh until she wasn't able to give any orders to Kadabra, so Ash won the match by default." They then filled me on all the other crazy things they had been up to, like accidentally stealing a boat and Ash entering a Pokémon race on a Ponyta that then evolved into a Rapidash to win at the final streak. Pretty awesome huh? I tell you what else was awesome.

Evolution Mountain. It was massive! Shadowing the town which we had now arrived at. I looked around the neat, orderly town and the cleansliness of its appearance before entering with the others. "You'd better return Dratini before you draw too much unwanted attention." I said to her, tickling her neck before letting her back into her Pokéball.

Ash looked down to Dexter, bringing up some more information about Eevee and I listened too. "Eevee evolves into one of three Pokémon, depending on which evolution stone is used on it. Using a Fire Stone will yield a Flareon, the flame Pokémon. A Water Stone yields a Vaporeon, the bubble-jet Pokémon. A Thunder Stone will yield Jolteon, the Lightning Pokémon."

"Aah, I'd love a Vaporeon." Misty dreamed as she continued to hold onto the Eevee we had found in the woods. Ash smirked then pointed to her.

"Big surprise Misty, all you ever think about is Water Pokémon." He said to her then folded his arms, giving her a sly look. "It sounds to _me_ that you want to keep that Eevee all to yourself." Brock laughed in agreement as we continued down the street.

"Ha! So that's why she won't let go of it." She looked down but smiled all the same, unfased by their teasing.

"Well, if you really want something then you have to go for it." Misty answered back and I smirked, poking Ash pointedly.

"Yeah Ash, mister Pokémon Master." He jumped away from my prod as I managed to hit a sensitive spot on his ribs and he growled at me, about to retort back when Brock spoke up.

"Hmm, that's it. Block three house fourteen." We all looked then gasped, staring at the massive mansion before us. Each window gleamed effortlessly in the sun, not a speck of dirt in sight. You know, I kinda want to throw a mud pie at it just to make it look a little more…normal.

"Wow…" Misty appreciated as Ash nodded his head.

"It's gigantic!" Stepping forwards I smiled back to them.

"Well come on! Let's go and see who's at home." We ran inside to find some sort of garden party, with large spreads of food, several fountains and ponds and a whole load of people and their Pokémon. We stopped and stared, bellies instantly rumbling.

"It's a garden party!" Brock said aloud and I grinned as Eevee stood up a little on my shoulder.

"Vee?"

"Look's like fun." Ash added and I licked my lips.

"Just look at all the food!" However Misty caught our attention, making us look to where something was going on.

"Hey guys, look there!" I saw a Poliwhirl, standing patiently beside a guy with electric like hair, bright yellow whilst standing upon on end. He wore skin fitting clothes, a white shirt and yellow skinny jeans and he touched the Poliwhirl with some sort of stone. Wait, I think that's a Water Stone!

Suddenly the Poliwhirl began to glow then grew bigger, toughening in shape before finally, it had evolved into a Poliwrath. There was a round of applause and we stared as the guy turned and smiled to the trainer. "Congratulations! Your Poliwhirl has evolved into a Poliwrath!"

"Wow, that's so amazing." Misty said as we watched the Pokémon jump into a pool along with a load of other Pokémon which had been recently evolved by the looks of things. I looked over all the Pokémon and sure enough, they were all evolved Pokémon.

Looking back I saw what must have been three brothers, all wearing the same clothes only different coloured jeands and different styled and coloured hair with evolved forms of Eevee. Oh they were all so cute! The Pokémon weren't too bad looking either…am I drooling? Ew gross.

"Good work!" The one who stood with a Jolteon called with a smile. "Now that we've seen a round of evolution, how about comparing attacks hey?" Suddenly he looked right at us. No not us, _me_! "Eevee?" Huh? What about Eevee? "Eevee!" They all called and ran over to us and before I knew it, had snatched my Eevee from my shoulder.

"Hey!"

"You found Eevee! Where did you go to? We were worried about you Eevee!" The electric haired guy said as he held Eevee and I glared.

"GIVE ME BACK MY EEVEE!" I roared then smacked all three of them on the heads, making the middle one drop Eevee and I snatched her back and cuddled her as she whined, snuggling closer into me. Shooting them a disgusted look I stepped back to reveal Misty, who held their _real_ Eevee.

"Oh! You have an Eevee too!" The blue haired one said with a smile as he stopped rubbing his head. His hair was gelled into webs, a tall plume sticking up in the middle which looked kind of weird at first but once I had adjusted, it did look kind of awesome. "That's cool, you're just like us!" I blinked at him. What was he on about?

"This is great! Now we've got our star, we can go on with the show!" The dark red haired boy said excitedly and we all looked at one another. What's going on?

"Eevee's a star?" Misty questioned slowly and we all looked at one another.

"Then why was it tied up?" Now I'm seriously confused. These guys looked so happy to have Eevee back, so why abandon it in the first place? It made no sense. Ugh, my brain is starting to hurt…

"Mikey! Hey Mikey! Eevee's come back!" The middle brother called and a smaller, little sadder looking kid slowly made his way over, looking down at his feet. Something was wrong, he looked very upset over something.

Eevee leaped out of the brother's arms with a happy cry then bounded over the the little boy who caught it with a soft smile. "Vee! Vee, Vee!" The three older brothers all faced him with condescending expressions on their faces.

"How could you lose it? You've gotta be careful!" The flame haired brother told him and the blue haired one finished.

"You'll lose your trainer qualification." We glanced to the three older brothers then approached Mikey, who was looking down sadly though the Eevee couldn't have looked happier. Misty smiled warmly and leaned down a little to talk to him.

"Did Eevee really escape? But it was tight to a tree, right?" Then Mikey turned and glared at her.

"Why'd you bring it back?" We all looked at one another. Huh? What was this kid's problem? Suddenly the middle brother turned around and faced his little brother, their evolution Pokémon all at their sides.

"Listen Mikey! One day you'll be a Pokémon trainer just like us." He started and his blue haired brother continued.

"Do you really think you can win your first battle with an unevolved Eevee?"

"All of us won our first battes because we'd evolved our Eevees', there's no other way to win! The key to victory is evolution!" I was definitely starting to see things a little clearer now. So they were trying to force their little brother to evolve his Eevee just because they'd done so? How stupid was that? Boys, I just don't get them.

"But…I don't care about battling." Mikey tried to tell them but they all gasped and glared down at him in horror.

"Don't care?" Their Pokémon all leaped up too, growling angrily and poor little Mikey looked frightened. Even Ash and Misty whimpered slightly at the brothers.

"They're scary." Ash muttered quietly. Ha! They didn't scare me.

"Everyone is waiting to see what you'll evolve Eevee into Mikey!"

"You've got three choices. Which do you think is the strongest of all the evolved Eevees?" The middle one asked and the last brother, the red one, lifting a finger to point out something.

"We want to know what you think of our Pokémon! Mikey, which Pokémon do you want _your_ Eevee to become?" Then they spouted off into a display, showing off each of their Pokémon. Jolteon leaped forwards first, fur crackling with electricity as its trainer spoke.

"A Thunder Stone will make it a Jolteon! When a Jolteon gets mad, the hairs on its body turns into needles and then it fires at its opponent!" Jolteon tensed then barked out its name as little static hairs shot out from its body, shooting up into the sky as everyone gasped.

"A Water Stone will make it a Vaporeon." The next brother announced and I sighed dreamily. He is really handsome…snap out of it Ruby! "It can melt into water to make itself disappear!" The Vaporeon leaped into a pool of water with the fountain then disappeared from sight, actually becoming part of the water.

"A Fire Stone will make it a Flareon!" Last but not least, the fire headed dude. "With a blazing flame attack released from its internal fire source, Flareon is the strongest evolution type of all!" He decalred and it let loose a hot Flamethrower attack, though I was unimpressed. My Charmeleon could do way better than that.

"What are you crazy?" The oldest demanded of his younger sibling. "My Jolteon is the strongest of all."

"Too bad _you're_ the only one who thinks so." He answered and I rolled my eyes. Yup, they're brothers alright.

"Hey Mikey, I'm sure you'll make the right choice and make it a Vaporeon." Fed up with all this pressure on the poor little kid, I stepped forwards and put my hand on his shoulder.

"Mikey doesn't have to evolve his Eevee if he doesn't want to. He's only a kid after all and has a while yet before he can do any battling, why don't you just leave him alone?" They all stared at me.

"Mikey has to evolve his Eevee if he wants to win battles, he's got no other choice." I glared at them.

"Says who? There's no rules about it. Normal type attacks can be just as effective as any special attacks just as much as unevolved Pokémon can be stronger than an evolved one. You can't force someone to change their Pokémon just because it's what _you_ want. It's not fair!" The eldest lifted his chin.

"He doesn't have a choice."

"Come on, give the kid a break. Isn't he a little young to battle?" Ash tried, coming to stand closer to me also as we defended Mikey and his Eevee.

"We're throwing this party just for him and his Eevee." The eldest answered as if we should've known already.

"You should know you have to start training early if you want to become a Pokémon Master." The hottest of the three older brothers answered and I found myself blushing.

"Yeah one of these days, you'll turn that Pikachu into a Raichu won't you?"

"Huh?" Ash looked down at Pikachu who blinked up at him.

"Pika Pika?" Aw, he's such a cute fuzzball.

"And that Eevee, you'll have to evolve it eventually or it'll just keep on getting knocked out of battle." I glared at the eldest brother.

"My Eevee will never battle if that's how it wants to live, however if we ever did battle, it would depend on the skill of the trainer, not the strength of the Pokémon alone to determine who wins." I shot back at him, feeling the debate heating up a little.

Eevee picked up her head then leaped off my shoulder, bounding happily over to Mikey then called up to his Eevee. "Vee! Vee!" She then danced away and jumped up onto the water fountain where she began to splash at the water with her paws.

"Do you guys need stones?" One of the brother asked then showed us a table full of them. There were many of different kinds, they must have done a lot of digging to find all of these.

"Wow Water Stones! And thunder, and fire!" Misty praised, looking at them all. I have to admit, they did look pretty and Eevee would become stronger if she evolved, but that didn't mean she had to. She rejected a stone before which obviously meant she didn't want to evolve.

"You really have collected a lot of them." Brock said in an impressed tone and I grumbled under my breath, turning my back and folding my arms across my chest with a grumpy look on my face. Sure, they had shiny stones. So what?

"That's what our town's known for." The cute guy answered proudly. The others admired the stones for a while longer so I went over to the fountain where Eevee was playing.

"You really love the water, don't you?" I said to her and she nodded her head.

"Vee! Vee Vee!" smiling I rubbed her head then began to stroke her soft fur.

"Do you remember what kind of stone that awful girl tried to make you evolve with, Eevee? Can you show me?" I asked and Eevee blinked before looking over to the stone table. She bounded towards it, weaving in and out of people and she sat down at the table, looking to me patiently so I picked her up and set her on the surface.

She sniffed the stones carefully, looking over each one before sitting beside a Fire Stone. Well that made sense. If Eevee naturally liked the water then being a fire type would take away her ability to be so near it and play in it as often as she did. "Oh I see…and you didn't want to be a Flareon, did you?" I questioned and she shook her head. "You love the water and you didn't want to stop playing in it. That's very brave of you Eevee, stopping yourself from evolving by force. It must have been very stressful for you." I said then scooped her up into my arms to tickle her belly. "I'll never make you evolve if you don't want to, you can trust me. You can stay this way forever."

"Vee!" She licked my chin and I giggled.

"You know, if your Eevee likes the water so much then you should definitely evolve it into a Vaporeon." The blue haired brother said to me, his Vaproeon at his side and Eevee squealed before leaping down and nuzzling noses with it.

"Oh, no I couldn't. She's perfect the way she is. Besides, what if she wants to stay an Eevee? I couldn't force her to do anything, especially not evolve just because I want her too." He smiled and I blushed slightly, looking down at my feet.

"I'm Rainer, by the way. My brothers are Sparky and Pyro, three guesses as to who is who." I giggled like a lovestruck school girl then blushed further.

"I'm Ruby. I'm from Pallet Town on a journey to learn all I can about Pokémon." I explained to him. "Your Vaporeon looks like it's in excellent shape. I've just come from Cerulean City where I was training under the Gym Leaders there for a few weeks and they've taught me all about water Pokémon." I said to him, kneeling down and he did the same, holding out my hand to the Vaporeon who sniffed my fingers then let me rub its soft skin.

"Its eyes are nice and clear, fins in good shape and its skin is a healthy colour…you've done great raising it." I said to him with a smile. "But I'm sorry, I just don't evolve my Pokémon that way. I like to build up their strength and our level of friendship first before letting them evolve naturally in their own time, because that assures me that they're ready to make that big change." He nodded to me.

"I suppose all trainers think differently." He stood up and smiled at me and my heart fluttered. He's _sooo_ cute! "Here, take this anyway, just in case you change your mind or your Eevee tells you that it's ready." He tossed me a Water Stone and I caught it, looking down at its deep colour and Eevee sniffed it before looking at me.

"Don't worry, you won't need this." I smiled, putting it in my backpack as I didn't want to insult Rainer by giving it back or throwing it away.

"Mikey!" I looked up at the loud yell and saw the three brothers approaching Mikey. Were they still at this? "Have you decided on Eevee's evolution yet?" He lowered his head and stuttered, unsure of how to answer but Misty merely smiled from beside him, sitting on the bench.

"Come right out and tell him Mike." She encouraged as I stood up with Eevee in my arms. Mikey continued to falter, trying to make his decision as I picked up Eevee and approached the little kid, giving him a warm smile and a nod of encouragement.

"Come on Mikey, tell us what you decided!" Sparky asked again only a little more impatiently this time.

"Go ahead and tell them Mikey, you can do it." Misty said again and Pikachu added his own support, lifting a fist into the air.

"Pikachu!" Mikey looked down to Eevee, who nodded and gave a soft voiced call. Mikey relaxed and smiled too, nodding his head in secret agreement.

"A Jolteon right?" Sparky arched an eyebrow but Pyro shook his head.

"A Flareon, right?"

"A Vaporeon?" In answer Mikey stood up, a determined look on his face.

"Ah! You guys, I uh…" Suddenly sparks went off on the ground, causing everyone to shriek and panic. One went off dangerously close to me and I felt the spray hit my leg painfully.

"Ow!" I leaped up, dancing on my feet to try and avoid being hit again. "What is this?"

"Its show time everybody!" Instantly I groaned.

"Not you! Don't you have anything better to do than follow us around?" I demanded, leaping up onto a fountain to avoid the pop suprises with Eevee still tucked safely into my arms. Team Rocket's balloon floated down then weighed anchor, Jessie and James leaping out to stand stylishly side by side as the Eevee brothers raced forwards.

"Who invited you?"

"Prepare for trouble!" Jessie cried and James smirked.

"And make it double." Then they started their stupid motto.

"To protect the world from devestation!"

"To unite all people within our nation…" Yeah, yeah, yadah yadah yadah WE KNOW ALREADY!

"To denounce the evils of truth and love…"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie…"

"James…" Those two seriously need to work on their act. They just weren't cutting it anymore. Maybe a restyle too, as those outfits definitely were not complimenting. Suddenly they rushed over to the food table and began to stuff their face. Okay, I take it back. This is just hilarious!

"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light!" Jessie mumbled through a mouthful of grub and James continued, much in a similar fashion. How could they eat so fast and talk without choking? That's rather impressive to be fair.

"Surrender now or prepare to fight."

"Hm! Delicious!" Meowth finished and I sighed with a shake of my head.

"Keep your eyes open guys, Team Rocket will steal your Pokémon if you're not careful." Ash said with a dark look on his face and I quickly put Eevee onto my backpack, letting her hang onto my shoulder.

"Hang on tight Eevee, looks like I'm going to have to battle these crooks." I said to her then rushed to get to Ash and the others.

"Wheezing? Spray the Smokescreen." James said through a large mouthful of chicken. Wait a minute, Koffing had evolved? Sure enough a large Wheezing floated across the party spraying its Smokescreen, a thick smog which blurred my vision and I stopped where I was, coughing on the sickly fog.

"Pidgeotto!" I called at the same time as Ash and both Pokémon flew up into the air. "Gust attack!" I directed, still coughing and they began to beat the wind, sending the Smokescreen away. When I took in a clean gulp of air I looked around to see Eevee was gone. "Eevee!" I yelled then looked around. "Ash! Eevee's gone!"

"All our Pokémon are gone!" Everyone began to panic as all the Pokémon, the stones and the food had disappeared. Hang on, Team Rocket had taken the food as well? Wow, they really had sunk low.

"Those creeps took everything!" Ash growled, clenching his fist tightly.

"Team Rocket took the stones and they took the food too!" Misty was just glaring at her new Psyduck disappointedly.

"Why couldn't they take you too?" No time for that, where was their balloon?

"Pidgeotto! Bring down that balloon!" I bellowed, pointing to it up in the sky and Pidgeotto instantly flew for it.

"Pidgeotto, you go too!" Ash yelled and the both of them dove for the balloon, tucking their wings in and burst straight through, bursting through the Meowth head and brought it crashing down again. I ran forwards instantly, preparing to leap inside and pound their miserable hides but when I reached the basket, it was empty.

"Huh?" Everyone chorused and I growled, growing bright red with rage. Fear, worry, anger and rage boiled up inside me, starting at my gut then rose up to my chest, heating up intil finally, I exploded into a volcano of thunderous yells.

"WHERE IS MY EEVEE?!" Whirling around I pointed to Pidgeotto. "Both of you hurry! Find Team Rocket!" They called out then flew away but I wasn't finished yet. "Charmeleon, I choose you!" I sent him out, still burning with anger and I think he felt it, because he looked at me in surprise. "Charmeleon, use your nose to find a scent trail, track down all our Pokémon that Team Rocket have stolen! Let's remind them just _who_ they've stolen from!"

"Char!" He agreed then sniffed the air, turned his head this way and that before leaping forwards. "Charmander!" He began to point down the road where Pidgeotto had just flown to and I beamed.

"That's the way to do it, come on! Let's get back our Pokémon!" I called to the gang and together we ran forwards, following Charmeleon's nose as he followed the scent trail. I ran faster than the others, Charmeleon just ahead. Well, it looks like all that running and those games are really paying off.

"Pidgeo!" The Pidgeotto returned to us, calling out and flapping their wings frantically.

"Did you find something?" I called up and they nodded their heads. "Alright! Show us the way!" Increasing my pace both Charmeleon and I raced forwards, leaving the others behind.

"Hey Ruby wait up!"

"Wow, she really runs fast!" Brock commented but I soon left them way back at the start line, my heart pumping as I ran to get Eevee back safe. Those goons had stolen the evolution stones, which meant they wouldn't waste time in forcing both Eevee's to evolve and I am _not_ going to let those creeps decide what my Eevee changes into.

I began to follow an ink trail and I realised Misty's Horsea must have spat it out to show us the way. Smart little Pokémon! "Get ready Charmeleon, this is going to be up to you and Pidgeotto to get Eevee back!" I said to him and he nodded his head.

"Char!" Suddenly we came across a large clearing and I stopped, gasping as I saw both Eevee's stuck in cages facing Team Rocket, who were holding an evolution stone of each kind. I caught a brief snip of their argument and they couldn't agree on which Pokémon to turn Eevee into.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu called out with relief and I shot him a smile.

"Alright! Pidgeotto, Gust attack! Charmeleon use Flamethrower!" I yelled, directing my hand forwards and Charmeleon ran at Team Rocket, making them all cry out as Pidgeotto whipped up a wind to slap against them.

Charmeleon leaped up into the air then spurt out a Flamethrower, toasting them nicely and I smirked. "Looks like you guys have just been rumbled. Now hand over the Pokémon!" I demanded, stepping forwards and anchoring my feet into the ground.

"You little twerp! You can't tell _us_ what to do, we're Team Rocket!" Jessie growled as Charmeleon glared at her. I don't think he liked Jessie insulting me. "You little brats always ruin everything!" Just then the others arrived.

"Squirtle! Use Water Gun attack!"

"Squirt Squirtle!" Squirtle sucked in a deep breath but then Misty's Psyduck jumped in front of him, flapping its flippers and clutching its head.

"Psy-aye-ay!" It then opened its beak and spat out a rather dismal trickle of water, barely stretching out two feet.

"Embarrassing…" Jessie scorned with an unimpressed look on her face and Misty returned Psyduck to his Pokéball.

"Embarassing is right. Looks like its up to you Squirtle." She said and the little turtle Pokémon started up his attack again.

"Squirtle Squirt Squirtle!" A wide plume of water shot out and hit bot Meowth and James though Jessie managed to avoid being hit, though to two guys were struck back an impressive distance. Ash turned to us all and clenched a fist.

"Alright, let's go get our Pokémon."

"Not so fast!" Jessie snapped and everyone turned to look back at her, holding both Eevees' cages to her and I gasped, calling out at the same time as Mikey.

"Eevee!" James and Meowth came running back and I did my best to control my temper, glaring at the three of them as James stared at us in disbelief.

"How did you find us all the way out here?"

"Yeah, it's the first time we didn't screw up!" Meowth exclaimed but I turned to Charmeleon.

"Use your Slash to open up the cages on the truck and for Pikachu." I said to him quietly and he nodded his head.

"Char." Springing forwards two quick slashes had both cages open and the Pokémon all jumped out, Charmeleon hanging onto the side of the cage to make sure everyone got out safe before looking to Pikachu who jumped onto his shoulder.

"Pika Pi!" He greeted with a bright smil and Charmeleon nodded his head with a proud look on his face.

"Charmeleon!" He leaped down then came back over to me, Pikachu running over to Ash.

"Well you see, Horsea spat out a trail of ink to show us the way. Pretty smart huh?" Misty said proudly and Horsea spat out another spurt of ink at Team Rocket as if to rub it into their faces.

"Unbelievable!" James gripped his head. "That little squirt has corrupt our perfect plan!"

"I guess we'll have to settle for these little Eevee." Jessie said, beginning to draw away but Misty spoke out just before I did.

"Forget it you old hag!"

"You're not getting my Eevee, now bring her back before I get _real_ angry!" I shouted at them, growing red at the ears. Jessie, however, didn't even hear me. Her face dropped into angry shock, gripping the bars of Eevee's cage so tightly I thought she would break them herself.

"What-what did you just call me? Urgh…ARGH!" She was practically spitting fire and I think Meowth saw the same thing judging by what he said next.

"Wow, Jessie just evolved into a Flareon!"

"Ready for battle?" She shouted at them and they flinched away largely, nodding their heads before James sent out Wheezing and Jessie released an Arbok. So they both evolved, that's pretty incredible.

"Arbok! Attack Arbok, show that puny little punk who's boss!" Jessie yelled, clenching her fist tightly as she held Mikey's Eevee and James held mine.

"I'm not puny!" Misty yelled back and Ash looked down to Pikachu.

"Ready Pikachu?"

"Wait!" Someone yelled and everyone looked to Sparky. "That's our brother's Eevee and it's our job to save it. Ready Rainer, Pyro?"

"Ready!" They called, all of them now wearing battle ready faces and they all stepped forwards, however I joined their ranks.

"That's my Eevee too, now let's go!" I said and they all grinned at me. "Charmeleon, Slash!" I yelled and my Charmeleon raced forwards, aiming for Wheezing.

"Wheezing, Sludge attack!" James yelled but I was already way ahead of him.

"Charmeleon, jump like you're catching the tennis ball!" I shouted and Charmeleon instantly leaped up into the air. His leg strength had increased a lot due to all the jumping he did when playing catch, sometimes he even managed to reach Pidgeotto's height. "Now finish that Slash attack!" I called and he swiped his glowing claws at Wheezing.

"Arbok, use Poison Sting!" Jessie yelled and Sparky faced her.

"Jolteon! Pin Missile!" I turned back to my own fight, focussing on returning Eevee as James now gave his next order.

"Sludge attack!"

"Dodge it, use Flamethrower."

"Chaaaarmeleon!" Jumping to the side Charmeleon then let loose a massive fire attack, hitting Wheezing in the side and throwing it off balance into James, who yelled as he was flattened, still holding Eevve.

"Get Eevee Charmeleon!"

"Char!" He leaped forwards, grabbed the cage then jumped up into the air, turning then ran back to us. I sighed with relief, kneeling down in the grass as Charmeleon slashed open the bars, ripping them apart to let Eevee out. She leaped onto him and licked his face, making him smile happily as he nuzzled her close.

"Eevee!" I beamed and she turned, looking at me brightly.

"Vee!" She jumped into my arms and licked my face, making me laugh with relief as I held her close. Suddenly I looked up to see Jessie and James looking at us with a smirk.

"You think this is over? Think again!" Jessie yelled then pointed, still holding Mikey's Eevee. "Arbok!" Arbok charged forwards and used Headbutt against Jolteon, knocking it out in one hit and Wheezing used sludge attack on Vaporeon and Flareon, causing them to lose strength too.

Suddenly Charmeleon stumbled and winced with pain, groaning and I gasped, catching him as Eevee leaped out of my arms. "Charmeleon! Are you okay?" I whispered then lay him on the ground. He looked terrible, his skin was growing pale and with one sniff I knew he was poisoned. "Brock! Take care of Charmeleon for me!" I yelled then stood up. "Alright Team Rocket, I've had it with you!" I yelled and Ash nodded his head.

"Yeah! You ready Pikachu?"

"Pika!"

"No Ash, this is my fight!" I yelled, picking up a Pokéball. "You are in for it now, you stole my Eevee, hurt my Charmeleon and keep coming back for more! I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget." I glared then threw the Pokéball. "Go Dratini!" There was a collective gasp as my Dratini appeared, her echoing voice ringing out.

"Wow! A Dratini!" Rainer breathed appreciatively but I ignored him, no longer caring how good looking he was.

"It's a Dratini, we should steal it!" James said to Jessie.

"Meowth that's right!" The little cat agreed but I merely snarled.

"Pidgeotto, Quick Attack to get Mikey's Eevee, then use Twister on all of them Dratini!" Pidgeotto dived forwards with a trill then grabbed the cage from Jessie's hands before any of them could move and she landed with it safely in front of Mikey who beamed with joy. A spiralling vortex rose up from Dratini's mouth, twisting upwards and Pidgeotto landed beside Charmeleon as Brock healed him, watching with an impressed expression as Dratini used her favourite move.

The Twister wrapped up all of Team Rocket and their Pokémon, causing them to yell and shout, begging for it to stop. "Now Dratini, use Dragon Rage!" I knew this attack would be powerful enough to blow the away and I wanted hose crooks gone from my sight as soon as possible.

Dratini opened her mouth and a ball of white light grew, gathering strength and power before shooting forwards in a beam of energy which burst the Twister and sent all of Team Rocket sailing up into the air, however they then fell back down again and landed in a heap on the ground.

"Can't…lose…now…" Jessie groaned then shook her head, leaping to her feet. "We can't lose this battle! Not to them!" Huh? They just…got up!

"Especially on our first day as champions!" James answered in agreement and their Pokémon rose up too, ready for another bout.

"Let's get 'em!" Meowth agreed and I blinked in shock, even Dratini looked surprised.

"What? They still want to fight?" Misty started and Brock frowned as he held Charmeleon.

"There's something different about Team Rocket." Mikey looked around, seeing his brother's Pokémon all completely wiped out before growing a hard face as he glared at Team Rocket.

"Let's finish this battle." Jessie announced and James punched the air.

"Victory!" I pushed back a foot ready to give out another order when Mikey stood at my side.

"Alright Eevee get ready! It's time for our first real battle!" He called and Eevee nodded its head.

"Vee!

"That little guy sure is brave." Misty smiled and I looked down at Mikey who smiled at me confidently. Finally I chuckled then nodded my head.

"Go get them Mikey, I know you and Eevee have what it takes." I said to him. "Dratini, come out the way for a moment!" I called and she leaped back towards me, turning to then watch the fight.

"Eevee! Take Down attack!" Mikey called and I nodded my head in approval. It's a good start, it'll stun Team Rocket as that move is more powerful than they might expect, however they didn't seem so concerned about a cute little Pokémon running at them.

"What's this, a stuffed animal?" Jessie scoffed but Mikey merely called out another order.

"Rage tackle attack!" Eevee's pace quickened and it lowered its head, my Eevee watching in awe in my arms as I held onto her, watching in similar astonishment as Eevee slammed into Team Rocket with a collective force which lifted them off the ground, however as they began to fall, I smirked.

"Dragon Rage!" The gang behind me yelped in fear as Dratini aimed the attack upwards and caught Team Rocket in antoher spiralling cyclone which held them up.

"Oh no! Not this again!" James wailed, obviously bringing back unwanted memories.

"Looks like Team Rocket's…blasting off again!" Jessie and the others screamed as Dratini let the cyclone go and they blew away into the far distance, not to bother us again.

"Alright!" I punched the air and Eevee in my arms called out with victory.

"Vee!"

"Drii!" Dratini leaped into my arms and I cuddled them both, glad to have them safe as Mikey praised his Eevee.

"Hey Mikey?" He looked at me, blinking softly. I winked at him. "You did good." He beamed at me but then I looked over at Charmeleon. "No! Charmeleon!" I ran over, Pidgeotto looking over to me as Charmeleon lay on the ground, Brock still tending to him. "Did you give him the Antidote?"

"I did but he's still pretty weak. I gave him some Super Potion but it still doesn't seem to be working. We need to get him to Nurse Joy as soon as possible, his tail flame is beginning to dim." I gasped in horror, putting both Eevee and Dratini down then gathered Charmeleon up into my arms.

"Charmeleon? Can you hear me?" He opened his eyes weakly and blinked, wincing slightly as I rubbed his chest. "You're going to be okay. I promise. You'll feel better really soon, I won't let you give out on me, I've still got to take you back to Cinnabar Island, remember? You want to go home, don't you?"

"Char…" He murmured then lifted his head slightly and touched his muzzle to my face, brushing against my slightly before fainting. I swallowed the lump in my throat then returned him to his Pokéball.

"You just rest, everything will be alright real soon, you'll see." I promised him then clicked the ball to my belt. "Alright everyone, that's enough excitement for one day, you all deserve a good rest." So I returned Dratini and Pidgeotto then let Eevve take a nap in my arms. Turning around I smiled to Mikey. "You and your Eevee have a very special connection Mikey, you should be very proud of both Eevee and yourself." I said to him then looked to his brothers. "I think you should tell your brothers now."

"Right!" He nodded his head then turned to face them.

"Hey Mikey! You won your first battle all on your own, that's fantastic!" Sparky praised and Rainer nodded his head.

"Yeah and you won with an unevolved Eevee!" Mikey swallowed nervously then looked up at his brothers.

"Hey you guys, I've decided I want to be an Eevee trainer." He told them and they all looked at him in surprise.

"An Eevee trainer?" Sparky questioned as he looked to his other brothers. Finally he smiled and nodded his head. "Well Mikey if that's what you want to do then do it."

"If you felt that way about then you should have told us sooner." Rainer agreed and Pyro grinned.

"Now we really are the four Eevee Brothers!" Mikey relaxed visibly then sighed happily.

"My brothers are the best." Rainer turned and winked at me so I arched an eyebrow but blushed all the same, slightly embarrassed by his attention but thrilled all the same. He came over to me as Sparky suggested about going back to celebrate Mikey's victory.

"You were really great with all your Pokémon, I can see you have a deep connection with all of them." He said to me and I nodded my head.

"I owe everything to them, I just boss them around really." I said humbly and he reached up to tweak my hat, tilting it up slightly so he could see my face as I was using it to hide.

"You know, you should stick around." He suggested and I blinked at him. "If you want, I could show you around the town and then we could head up the Mountain, I'll show you all the best places for mining for evolution stones." My eyes sparkled slightly at the suggestion. Like a date?

Then suddenly a Pokéball burst open and I gasped as Charmeleon appeared, angrily glaring at Rainer then spewed a fire attack over him, torching up like a marshmallow. "Charmeleon!" I gasped then yelped as he swayed on his feet only to collapse backwards into my arms. "Oh Charmeleon, you really aren't well! You're freezing!" I rubbed his arm then looked at Brock. "What's wrong with him Brock? I don't know what to do!"

"I think he may be coming down with something." Brock opened his mouth to look at his tongue which was turning slightly blue. "It might be a cold." A cold? But that was bad! If Charmeleon doesn't get enough heat from somewhere then his internal fire will go out and then he could die! "We need to get him to Cinnabar Island and fast! That's the only place I can think of where it's hot enough to keep him healthy and help him fight back the illness."

"Then what are we waiting for?" I yelled aloud. "Let's go!" Misty stood over me, looking at Charmeleon and then to Rainer who was being hosed down by his Vaporeon to wash off the black smudges.

"Looks like Charmeleon got a little jealous of Rainer trying to spend time with Ruby." She said and I looked down at Charmeleon, who was breathing heavily. That doesn't matter. What matters right now is getting Charmeleon back to health again.

So, Cinnabar Island is next.


	24. Chapter 24

During our hasty race to Cinnabar Island we had stopped at a Pokémon Centre where Nurse Joy had taken a look at Charmeleon. "He's a healthy and well taken care of Pokémon, so I fully expect him to recover." Nurse Joy said to me. "You have nothing to worry about." I exhaled with relief. "Just don't use it for anymore battling unti you reach Cinnabar where the hot springs and heat of the volcano can help it to revitalise its strength and fire but until then, give him a spoon full of this medicine a day in the evening until he fully recovers." She continued to explain, handing me back Charmeleon's Pokéball and a bottle of medicine which I took gratefully. "And ensure you give it spicy food to eat, it'll help kickstart its immune system and maybe stoke the flames a little, its nothing to worry about at all, so don't worry about a thing!" She told me brightly and I never felt happier to hear anything in my life.

"Thanks Nurse Joy." I smiled to her then blinked as Brock reached out and clasped her hand.

"Oh Nurse Joy, your name is so perfect for you and me, for you bring me the greatest joy I could ever possibly feel!" Brock declared but then Misty grabbed his ear and dragged him away.

"I'll tell you what gives _me_ joy, keeping you from embarrassing all of us!" I giggled, waved to Nurse Joy then left the Pokémon Centre.

"Hey, we're pretty close to Grampa Canyon." Ash said, pointing to the map. "How about we take a look?" He suggested but then gulped. "Oh wait, we have to get to Cinnabar Island."

"Actually, Nurse Joy says it isn't that bad." I said to Ash with a smile. "It's nothing to worry about and that I was just panicking. She's given me some medicine for Charmeleon so he'll be better in no time. If you want to see Grampa Canyon then I would too, I've always wanted to see it and it's right on the way to Cinnibar anyway, so let's go!"

We all rushed to Grampa Canyon, eagerly smiling as we waited to see its spectacular views. We followed the signs to the canyon but stopped when we saw a long line of diggers heading in the same direction we were. "Hey! What's going on down there?" Ash asked aloud, all of us blinking curiously. "I wonder what they're doing with all those picks and shovels."

"Don't you know anything?" A voice barked and we all looked to the left to see an Indiana Jones wannabe standing there, pickaxe in hand. Gary Oaks. Bleh! "Ash, not only late as usual but clueless too!"

"Hey it's Gary!" I shot Ash a blank look.

"Really? I han't noticed under all the stupid costume he's wearing." I said sarcastically and Ash snorted with laughter before pointing to him.

"Why're you dressed like that?"

"Ha! Don't tell me you've never heard of the Pokémon discovery, even a total nerd like you should have heard about the great fossil rush!" Gary said smugly and we all repeated after him like parrots.

"The great fossil rush?"

"Gary, Gary he's our man! If he can't find 'em no one can!" Oh great, the cheerleaders are back.

"You still parading around with that troupe?" I asked him, folding my arms as Eevee nestled on my shoulder. "Looks like some tired old things just never go away." He shot me a look.

"Love to stay and chat but I've gotta go, I've gotta find those fossils before anyone else does!" I arched an unimpressed eyebrow at him.

"How noble of you." Ash and the others all choked on their supressed laughter, trying to hide behind their hands at my deadpanned sarcasm but Gary merely smirked.

"Well I can't just hang around here with two losers like you!" Hey! No fair! Both Ash and I dove after him but Brock and Misty held us back.

"Guys! Take it easy!"

"Agh! That know it all!" Ash ground out and I folded my arms in irritation.

"He's just a big jerk, Ash, he's not worth it really." I told him then smirked. "Althoguh if we were to be the ones to find some fossils first then I _definitely_ wouldn't mind shoving that in Gary's face!" Ash punched the air, joining my side.

"Yeah! I'm going to find a Pokémon fossil before Gary even starts digging! That'll show him who the real loser is!"

"Hmm…" Brock murmured, thinking to himself before speaking. "I don't feel right about digging up old Pokémon fossils, especially if they've been resting in the earth for such a long time."

"If they've been lying in the earth for thousands of years, maybe they'd like a little fresh air." Misty suggested and I smiled.

"Exactly! And if you don't feel comfortable Brock, then just don't dig." I winked to him. "Ash and I'll show that Gary who the reall heroes of Pallet Town are!" Ash, however, merely rubbed the back of his head with a cheeky grin.

"I think its Misty's brain that needs a little fresh air." She shot him a filthy look as I clapped him on the back of the head as we both snapped at him.

"Who asked you?" Ash yelped and ran away from us.

"Wargh! Let's go check it out huh?" He yelled and Misty and I both glanced at one another.

"You're not getting away Ash Ketchum, you still owe me a new bike!" Misty yelled and I giggled. Are they still going on about that? Wow, Misty can really hold a grudge. Brock and I chased after them and we looked down into the canyon to see hundreds of people dotted around the place hammering the earth away looking for fossils.

"Wow, look at all the people digging!" Ash breathed as we joined up with him again.

"We'd better hurry before all the fossils are dug up." Misty agreed as Brock rubbed his chin.

"All these people digging yet nobody's found any fossils yet. I wonder if this great fossil rush is really for real." He had a point, it looks like this place has been dug through for years now. Surely they would have found more than just a few fossils by now?

"Sure it is." Ash answered and I shook my head slightly. Poor Ash, still young and naïve yet innocently so. It was kind of sweet.

"What's taking those two so long?!" A familiar catty voice complained and we all looked around in surprise. "Humans. The only thing you can depend on is that their always independable." Was that Meowth? What was he doing here? Moreover, where were those two goons Jessie and James?

"Tadah!" There you go, right on cue. They leaped out from behind a rock then in unison struck a pose whilst sitting on it. "Prepare for trouble."

"And make it double." James answered, eyes closed as he bowed his head dramatically into a rose. How was that thing still alive? Did he pick fresh ones every time those morons cooked up a new plot or was it fake?

"To protect the world from devestation…" Not this again! Please, someone make it stop, MAKE IT STOP! Thankfully, Meowth answered my prayers. Before they had even finished he whacked them both on the heads with a yell.

"Cut the power tree! I bet you clowns didn't even plant the dynamite like you were supposed to!" Meowth gave away the plan in one perfect sentence. They were going to blow up Grampa Canyon! Just for some old rocks? Jeez, these guys really were desperate.

"Argh! Wrong again furball!" Jessie snapped then kicked Meowth into a rock, causing a dent where his form slammed into the surface and it remained there even after he slid down to the ground. "Of course we planted the dynamite.

"Once we blow up Grampa Canyon, we'll be able to scoop up all those Poké Fossils!" James finished brightly, seemingly pleased with himself. Meowth leaped up from the ground with an angry wail, kicking up his feet and flailing his arms.

"Next time I'll make fossils out of you!"

"Did you hear that?" Misty gasped. "They're going to blow up the whole canyon!"

"And all the people digging are going to get caught in the blast!" Brock added and my face dropped with worry. Gary was down there? Hold up, maybe thay's not such a bad thing…oh who am I kidding, not even Gary deserves to be blown up like that, even if he is an idiotic creep.

"Pikachu and I will stop it, you two spread the word to run for it, there's no time to lose!" Ash ordered and I picked up Eevee and handed her to Misty.

"Take Eevee, I'll go help Ash!" I said to her the same time Brock called out and turned to run.

"Let's go!" Turning around I raced after Ash, catching up with him easily and we watched Meowth held a lighter in one hand and a fuse in the other. Okay, I knew these guys were bad and sometimes a little stupid, but I didn't realise they were this dumb!

"Hold it right there!" Ash called and I stood at his side, putting an unafraid and confident mask on my face.

"Oh it's those pests again!" James complained and Jessie turned around with a sharp glare.

"Always messing up out plans!"

"But this time, they're too late, the fuse is already lit!" Meowth crowed and I gasped, inching forwards slightly as I saw that the fuse was already running away from us.

"Woah! We've gotta stop them! Squirtle! I choose you!" Ash yelled and flung out his Pokéball, releasing Squirtle who leaped out with an excited call, ready to battle. "There's no time to lose, Squirtle squirt out that fuse!" Ash called and I looked at him quickly.

"Nice rhyming Ash." I said to him then watched as Squirtle began to spit out shots of water attacks, trying to hit the fuse but it snaked out of his reach then slipped down over the side of the cliff. "We can't let those explosives go off!"

"Squirtle, after it!" Ash yelled and we all raced forwards.

"Keep trying to hit it Squirtle!" I called as I ran forwards with Ash. Squirtle leaped over the side of the cliff and rode down on his shell, calling out slightly in surprise as he was tossed into the air upon the rise.

"Go Arbok!" Jessie yelled and I gasped, looking over my shoulder as I slid down the cliff after the others.

"Wheezing go! Keep that fuse lit!" Uh oh, this is big trouble made double! I chased after the boys, clenching my fists as I ran with Team Rocket hard on our heels. "Hurry Weezing, don't let themput out the fuse!"

"Move it Arbok!"

"You can do it Squirtle!" I encouraged as we snaked our way lower and lower into the coanyon. Ash and I hurried after Squirtle, hearts racing.

"We're not gonna make it!" Ash yelped.

"Just keep going!" I called back but then looked behind me. "Wargh! Look out!" I yelled as a Team Rocket boulder ball came tumbling after us, a mix of human limbs and Pokémon. Suddenly it slammed into us and both Ash, Pikachu and Squirtle into the mix then dragged me into it to. "Ow! This hurts!" I yelled as I was crushed into the ground repeatedly.

We bumped and bounced, all of us grunting in pain before finally, we crashed onto flat ground. Groaning I slumped into the gorund, flattened by everyone else as I was, of course, once again at the bottom. "My back is never going to be the same again." I moaned, wriggling to get free.

"Oh no the dynamite!" Ash yelled and instantly I scrambled harder.

"Stop that fuse someone!" I yelled and Pikachu stood up.

"PIka-CHUUU!" Anybody but Pikachu, that is. The electric attack shot up the wire and overrode the lit fise, hitting the dynamite and Pikachu looked at us proudly. "Chu!" Suddenly the dynamite exploded into a bright flash of white and yellow, beams of light shining upwards into the sky before everything exploded outwards.

Without warning the ground split open and everyone began to fall down but upon blind instinct I grabbed onto the side and clung on for dear life. "Ash! Grab on!" I yelled, stretching out my hand as I saw him fall.

"Ruby!" He yelled, reaching out and our fingers brushed but he slipped out of my grip and he fell into the darkness.

"Ash! No! Ash, Pikachu, Squirtle!" I yelled as they disappeared from view. Something rumbled and I looked up with a gasp to see the part of the cliff beginning to collapse. "Uh oh." I hauled myself up over the side, swinging my leg up then began to roll over the ground as quickly as I could to get out of the way as the rockslide rumbled down into the deep.

A large burst of dust rose up and I coughed, spluttering on the dry taste until it cleared. "Squirtle…"

"Oh! Squirtle!" I gasped then ran over to him as he pulled himself out of the rubble. I gripped onto him then lifted him up, holding him in my arms to make sure he was okay. "I've got you now." I assured him then looked around as Brock called out.

"Ruby!" I turned to face them, a look of panic on my face.

"Ash and Pikachu fell! They're under all those rocks!" They reached my side and we all looked down at the rock collapse. Eevee leaped out of Misty's arms and into my own and I hugged her tightly, rubbing my face into her fur.

"Vee!"

"This is a disaster!"

"We've got to get them out!" Nodding my head I leaped onto the rock pile and together we began to shift the rocks. Putting Eevee safely on the ground I then turned and began to help move the rocks. I grunted, shifting away all the rocks I could though my fingertips began to tear and bleed.

"What happened here?" Officer Jenny demanded as she came running towards us and we all whirled around to face her.

"Team Rocket blew up the canyon!" Misty told her and Brock quickly put in.

"Ash must be trapped under these boulders, you've got to help us!"

"The bulldozers can't make it down here!" She said to us. "We'll have to dig by hand, I'll go get some help!" She turned and began to run back to the dig site to round up some volunteers. We were all filthy and grimy, covered in dust from the rocks.

"Go Geodude!" Brock yelled and the rock Pokémon appeared from his Pokéball. "Geodude! Help us shift this pile of rocks!" Brock called and the Pokémon lifted up his arms.

"Dude! Geo-dude!" He began as he shifted rocks much faster than any of us could naturally. Soon we were all glistening with sweat as we foraged down into the rocks.

"Listen Ash, you'd better hold on!" Misty grunted as she flung another rock away. "Don't forget you still owe me a new bike!" I gave a wry grin before grunting as I tried to shift another heavier rock.

"Ash! Can you hear us?" I called down as Squirtle worked beside me. Suddenly people came pouring into the lower part of the canyon, carrying their pitchforks and shovels. "Over here! Come on, put your backs into it!" Gary leaped over the side and landed next to me, turning quickly to face me.

"Officer Jenny told us what happened, are you okay?" I blinked at him then nodded.

"I'm fine, but Ash is trapped down there." Gary gave a small smile and a nod before lifting his pitchfork then struck down into the rock as the others did the same.

"Ash!

"Hey Ash!" Suddenly I heard a voice call back, though the words were muffled and hardly audible.

"Get us…ere…nd hurry!" Suddenly there was a yell and I looked as the rocks began to give way.

"Hurry Squirtle!" I yelled, picking him up then flung him over to Brock who caught him as I jumped on the falling rocks, scrambling to get to the side.

"Ruby!" Gary suddenly slammed into me and together we hit solid surface, his arms wound around me. Okay, I'm getting a little tired of him saving me all the time, this is ridiculous! Though I am not complaining, I would really rather not die or be crushed to death by those rocks. Gary was up on his feet, pulling me with him by my hand to get free from the collapse.

Eevee jumped into my arms and I exhaled with relief. "At least you're okay." I murmured softly and she nuzzled her nose into mine.

"Vee…Vee…"

"Over here!" Misty yelled and I turned to see her so I quickly whipped my hand out of Gary's. The dust cleared and before anyone could take a breath, a large shape shot out from underneath the ground. Was that a dinosaur? Suddenly Charmeleon and Pikachu landed in front of us, wincing slightly.

"Charmeleon!"

"Pikachu!"

"Where's Ash?" Pikachu shook himself off then pointed upwards to the supposedly extinct Pokémon. Hey, was he carrying something? Or…someone! It's an Aerodactyl! And it's got Ash! This is not good, that Aerodactyl is looking at Ash as it it's his next meal.

"Jigglypuff!"

"Huh?" I looked around to see a Jigglypuff running towards some high beam lights eagerly.

"Jigglypuff! Jiggly Jiggly Jigglypuff!"

"Hey there's Jigglypuff!" Brock exclaimed and we all stared as the pink puffball ran towards the lights.

"I wonder what it's doing here." Misty questioned but then gasped. "Oh! I get it!" She ran forwards to its side then turned back to us. "It wants to sing! I'll get Jigglypuff to sing to Aerodactyl" Hey, was this the same Jigglypuff they had been telling me about before?

"Great idea!" Brock agreed and Misty turned to the Jigglypuff who had inflated itself to glare at Misty.

"Jigglypuff, if you help us out now then we'll listen to your song later as much as you want." Enthralled by the bargain, Jigglypuff nodded its head.

"Jigglypuff!"

"Argh! Somebody get me down!" Ash yelled and I turned, running to his Charmeleon's side. Charmeleon growled then blew a Flamethrower in irritation, unable to reach the Aerodactyl. I heard Ash had been having some troubles with his Charmeleon but it looked on ball now. Looking up I blinked as Aerodactyl then pulled a face at Charmeleon who pounded his feet angrily.

"Char Char Char-MEEE!" Suddenly its body began to glow bright white and I gasped.

"Hey! You're evolving! Ash take a look at this!" I yelled as Charmeleon began to grow in size and sprouted large wings. The Charizard lifted its great head and spread its wings, opened its mouth to roar then let out a powerful Flamethrower. Sweet! "Alright Charizard!" I cheered, leaping up and punching the air with Eevee still in my arms and she cheered too.

"Vee!"

"Charizard, you have to save Ash before Aerodactyl makes him his dinner!" I called to Charizard who looked down at me. "Now you have wings, let's see them in action!" Charizard roared in agreement then spread his wings, rising up with a powerful flap of his newly grown wings.

Hugging Eevee to me I watched with open motuh as Charizard rose up into the sky, soaring overhead then dove straight for Aerodactyl, who was looking down at Ash ready to gobble him up with some hot sauce.

"Vee?" She whined and I nuzzled into her.

"Ash will be okay Eevee, Charizard will rescue him." I assured her gently as Charizard used Flamethrower to try and strike Aerodactyl who rose up and began to avoid the attacks. "You can do it Charizard!" I cheered and just then, Charizard opened his powerful jaws and a plume of fire shot out, however, instead of hitting Aerodactyl, it swallowed Ash. Oops.

"Pika Pi!"

"Careful Ash!"

"Pretty soon Ash is going to be too overcooked for Aerodactyl to eat!" Brock watched the aerial fight whilst Misty ran forwards to turn on one of the lamps.

"Hurry Jigglypuff, sing us your slumber song!"

"Jiggly!" The little pink puffball bodded its head then turned out towards the people to sing.

"Charizard cover your ears!" I yelled then did the same for myself, Eevee using her little paws to flatten down her ears. Jigglypuff began to sing and it was a very pretty sound, very meresmatic and calming however I tried to push the sound out of my mind, focussing upwards.

Ash was the first to slump, falling asleep from the sound and tehn Aerodactyl began to lower its altitude, losing its focus. He'd better hurry and let go of Ash or this is just going to go from bad to worse. Slowly Aerodactyl's eyes closed and finally he let go of Ash, who dropped like a stone through the air.

I held my breath, watching with trepidation as Ash descended. Charizard suddenly swooped down, changing targets to catch Ash as Aerodactyl fell down through the air, asleep and unresponsive. It tumbled down through the crevasse which Team Rocket had created and after a few moments of it being in darkness, there was a mighty crash and the rocks slid once more to hide the gap. Good riddance.

Charizard landed and finally caved in to Jigglypuff's song, collapsing and falling asleep with Ash rolling off his back. Jigglypuff held out her last note and I let go of my ears, forcing myself to stay awake as it then opened its eyes and looked around. "Puff?"

"Yay! Go Jigglypuff!" I cheered then clapped my hand, putting my sleeping Eevee down on the ground for a moment. Applauding Jigglypuff she blinked then beamed proudly, holding up her arms then began to bow, a natural star. "You were amazing Jigglypuff, really!"

"Puff! Jigglypuff Puff!" She waved her hand in mock modestly, looking away then glared at everyone else. "Puff!" They were fast asleep on the ground, snoring or mumbling softly and I laughed.

"Don't mind them, Jigglypuff, they obviously can't appreciate a good concert when there's one right in front of them." Jigglypuff took off the cap to her microphone to reveal a pen and she hopped off her stand then went over to Ash and drew on his face.

I giggled, turning around as I watched her go from person to person and drew black markings on their faces. My foot nudged someone and I looked down, blinking when I found Gary, curled up like a baby on the ground.

Slowly lowering myself I giggled again at the markings on his face then took his arm to tuck it under his head as it was awkwardly twisted underneath him. I paused, looking down at him then sighed. Shaking my head then stood up, going back to Eevee then picked her up, letting her sleep in my arms.

One by one everyone awoke, blinking in confusion, speculating on what had happened. Had it been a dream? As everyone whispered and tried to figure out the truth, Jenny smartly stood up on a rock to seriously address the crowd, though I couldn't help but giggle at Jigglypuff's handiwork.

"Some of you are claiming that you saw a prehistoric Pokémon here in the canyon. That is ridiculous." She called out and everyone turned to look and listen. "Let me assure you it was only a dream caused by Jigglypuff's song. I must also announce that due to the danger of further cave collapses, no more digging will be permitted." At least that will keep the tourists away from the Pokémon down beneath our feet.

"That Aerodactyl sure didn't seem like a dream." Gary mused but then his cheerleaders chanted out.

"Gary dreams the best! Better than the rest! He's the best from east to west!" He paused then shrugged.

"Guess they're right." I face palmed, shaking my head. Was there no hope for the human race? Still I think it's time we started moving out. Turning around I smiled and nodded to the others as they wiped their faces.

"Hey, how come you didn't get drawn on?" Ash asked, pointing to my face and I smirked.

"Because _I_ didn't fall asleep." I answered him then laughed quietly. "Besides, I'm used to my mom and dad listening to classical music all the time since I was little. It doesn't really send me to sleep anymore as it used to as I'm used to it." Stepping towards them I gave another bright smile. "Shall we get going?"

"Yeah, let's get out of here." Misty agreed. We turned and all began to walk away but I paused and looked back to Gary.

"Hey Gary?" He looked around to me, waiting for me to finish but I honestly didn't know what to say. Settling on a smile and a victory sign, I then turned and followed after the others. We got safely out of the canyon at Jenny's hurried direction then continued down our path towards Cinnabar Island.

"Hey, where did Jigglypuff go?" Ash asked, looking around.

"Don't tell me you were hoping for an encore?" Brock laughed and Ash turned back to us.

"It deserved to at least take a bow."

"Don't worry Ash." I grinned. "It took lots of bows whilst you were all sleeping." Ash grinned then looked up to the sky with a sigh.

"Jigglypuff and Charizard really saved the day this time." Misty lifted a finger with an impressed smile as she spoke.

"That Aerodactyl was one of a kind, it's too bad you didn't catch it Ash."

"I think Areodactly and the others would be happier just going back to sleep." I nodded my head in agreement as Misty also agreed with him.

"Maybe you're right."

"Hey I almost forgot!" Ash said then lifted a Pokémon egg out of his bag. "I found this when I woke up." Wow! That's amazing, wait, where did it come from? What was it doing out in the canyon?

"Are you sure it's alright for you to just take that?" Brock questioned and Ash blinked.

"What do you mean? Do you think I should have left it with Joy?" But Brock was already running forwards and took it from his hands, smiling excitedly.

"Okay Ash! I'll raise it for you!"

"But…" Ash spluttered. "I can raise it myself!" Misty slid between them with a mischievous look on her face as Eevee blinked then looked up at me in bewilderment.

"You would have dropped it and broken it anyway." This was true, Ash wasn't known for his grace and quite often tripped over his own feet.

"I would not!" Suddenly Brock and Misty were running so I hurred to run with them, laughing as Brock yelled over his shoulder.

"Don't worry Ash! I'll take good care of it!"

"Hey wait up! Give it back! Finders keepers!" This was going to be amazing, I couldn't wait to see what the egg will hatch into, also I couldn't wait to learn from Brock how to properly take care of it. If this egg had been abandoned then it looks like I will need to factor this in to my future plans. I'll need to introduce and incubation unit to keep eggs warm whilst the Pokémon inside was growing.

Still, this was something I just couldn't wait for!


	25. Chapter 25

"Are your names Ash and Ruby?" Nurse Joy said to us as we stopped at a Pokémon Centre to heal our Pokémon.

"That's right." I nodded my head and Nurse Joy smiled to us before handing us a folded piece of paper.

"I have a message for you two." Ash took it and blinked.

"For us? Who from?" I rolled my eyes then smacked him gently up the head.

"Why don't you open it, genius, and find out?" I told him and he blushed with a guilty laugh then opened it up. Three figures of Professor Oak striking a moving shouting pose appeared, the eight gym bages bordering the paper at the top as the Professor's voice rose up from the paper.

"Greetings Ash, Ruby, its Professor Oak! Give me a call when you get a chance." We all stared down at it. Huh?

"It's from Professor Oak." Ash mentioned and I sighed. Obviously I missed this detail, thanks Ash.

"I guess it's been a while since you talked to him Ash. Why don't you give him a buzz?" Sounds like a great idea, I should probably call home too. I haven't talked to my parents in what felt like ages.

"Vee!" Eevee agreed then leaped out of my arms to bound over to the calling machines then jumped up onto the chair but she was too small to reach, so she dangled from the seat, trying to scramble up but her little legs didn't quite stretch that far.

"Ah, let me help you there Eevee." I chuckled then picked her up, tickling her chin as she smiled at me.

"Vee! Vee!" Ash came and sat down in front of the calling station, looking down to the keypad before beginning to press the numbers to contact Professor Oak.

"Okay let's see, Professor…I hope he's around." Ash said as he held the phone to his ear. The tone buzzed once before being picked up and Ash leaned forwards instantly with a smile. "Hi Professor Oak, its Ash!"

"And Ruby!" I beamed, pushing myself into the picture with a grin, making Ash laughed as I shouldered him playfully.

"Hello there Ash! Ruby, I suppose my message finally found its way to you." He answered back with a cheerful voice and both Ash and I blushed with guilty expressions.

"Yeah…"

"How is everyone? Hey! Pikachu is sure looking well, and Ruby, is that an Eevee? My, what an excellent find." I beamed then nuzzled Eevee as she trilled happily, turning her head to lick my cheek.

"She's great!" I agreed as Misty pushed Ash aside to smile to the Professor.

"And I'm fine too!"

"I'm glad to hear it. Well they say no news is good news but I do wish you would let me know how things are going every now and then." We both wore guilty expressions again. It was true, we'd been forgetting more and more to call both Professor Oak and our parents, but so much has happened that we just completely forget or lose track of time!

"I know, we've been kinda busy uh…" Ash leaned closer as a Pokémon slid on screen and began to climb up Professor Oak, covering him in a purplish gunk whilst grunting.

"Muk…Muk…"

"Come on, cut that out!" We all chuckled, Ash grinning proudly.

"My Muk seems to be doing okay." Ash commented as Professor Oak was flattened by the affectionate Pokémon.

"Taking care of it hasn't been so easy." He said then turned back to the Muk whilst still being pressed into the table. "Will you behave? I hope the next Pokémon you two send will be easier to manage." We both looked at one another.

"I hope so too Professor but I haven't caught any new ones." Ash said and I merely blushed at the Professor.

"And I don't really want to capture any more than six Pokémon unless I really feel that they want to be a part of my team, so I don't think you can expect any more Pokémon from me any time soon Professor, I'm sorry."

"Don't worry Ruby, you just keep studying hard. Maybe one day when you come back you can come and help me out here. Goodness knows I need it, and you can learn a lot more about Pokémon too."

"Sounds great Professor! Huh? Professor?" I blinked as he was completely engulfed by Muk but then he reappeared, rising up then overtook the screen again.

"I almost forgot, have you two heard of the new PokéDex upgrade?" He asked and we both blinkned and spoke together.

"PokéDex upgrade?" Ash looked at me then shook his head. "No, I haven't."

"Well, now you can get details on all the latest Pokémon discoveries." Professor Oak explained and we both grinned.

"Wow! How can I get it?" Ash asked and Professor Oak pointed downwards on the screen.

"Just put your PokéDex into that slow and I'll upgrade it. Once upgraded, your PokéDex will have an updated data base and even a new voice."

"Alright!" Ash put his PokéDex into the slot, waiting eagerly for the upgrade as the slot closed and Professor Oak started the process. We waited barely ten seconds before the screen flashed with the all clear and the slot opened once more to let Ash retrieve his PokéDex so I put mine in next. Once that was done I pulled mine out and smiled.

"Thanks Professor!" He nodded his head.

"Okay, no time to lose. Go capture more Pokémon and collect more badges."

"Professor, we're on our way right now!" Ash assured him and I waved.

"Bye Professor!" I called then slid over to another boothe. "You guys go on ahead and I'll catch up, I just want to make a quick call to my parents."

"Okay Ruby, we won't be far." Misty answered as I dialled the number, sitting Eevee in my lap. I waited for barely a few seconds before the screen was filled with the image of dad's eye.

"Ruby! Is that you?"

"Yeah it's me dad, hi!" I smiled and waved at him. "How are you? I'm sorry it's been a while, just so much has happened and I have so much to tell you all when I get back!"

"Why don't you tell us now?" Dad asked with a proud look on his face. "My baby girl out there facing the world, are you keeping out of trouble?" I blushed and tugged at my neck tie.

"Not really, you see…"

"AGGGGHHHHHHH!" I quickly held the phone away from my ear, flinching as mom shoved dad ruthlessly off screen and gasped. "Is that an Eevee? Oh it's so dang adorable! Where did you get it? Are there any more? Could you catch me one? Oh it's so beautiful…" She fussed and Eevee beamed at her.

"Vee!" My mom then fainted at the cute sound and I giggled as dad staggered back on screen, rubbing his head from the knock he'd received. Shaking my head I turned back to dad, who looked more tanned then usual, I guess he's started his morning jogs again.

"How are you, Ruby? We were starting to worry about you."

"I'm fine dad, really." I assured him. "I'm having the time of my life and I've made some really great friends. I'm really learning a lot about Pokémon and my team is really starting to take shape, I'm just really having fun!"

"Good, I'm very glad to hear that Ruby." Dad said to me, glancing to mom who was beginning to recover herself. "Just be careful okay? I've been hearing a lot of reports about some Team Rocket trying to do bad things, though there seem to be a bunch of kids who foil their plans at the last second. Isn't that great? Maybe you'll meet them!" I blushed deeply then gave a chuckle.

"Yeah, that'd be awesome dad." I agreed then looked to mom as she picked herself off. It's hard to imagine her once beign a Battle Girl, yet she was still mom to me so I guess it's hard to imagine her as anyone other than that.

"Are you remembering to brush your teeth honey?" She asked me so I grinned, showing her my pearly whites. "Good girl! Now, are you winning your battles? Are you beating everyone you meet?" In all truth, I haven't had a proper battle in a while.

"Of course, I haven't actually lost a fight yet." I admitted. "Though I haven't battled in a while, you see Charmeleon is sick and I'm taking him to Cinnabar Island to let him rest and get properly better."

"Oh sweetie, I'm so sorry." Mom said to me tenderly but I forced a smile.

"It's okay, I have medicine for him and he's beginning to improve, it's just he needs to spend some time where it's hot to revitalise his fire source." I explained then looked over my shoulder. "Listen, I'm really sorry but I'm going to need to go." My parents sighed but nodded their heads in understanding.

"Okay honey, just remember, we're rooting for you!" Mom smiled at me. "We're so proud of all you're achieving, just remember you can always come home if it gets too much!"

"Not that you can't handle it." Dad put in then put his arm around mom. "We love you!"

"I love you too." I smiled to them, drawing in their faces before looking down to Eevee. "Say goodbye Eevee!"

"Vee! Vee!"

"Oh it's so…so…" Mom fainted again. Laughing I blew dad a kiss and he blew one back before I cut the call. With a soft sigh I shifted Eevee in my arms to let her rest on my shoulder before hurrying to find the others. We'd already agreed that we'd stop to eat at a restaurant we had passed before, however as I approached, I saw them scrambling before a load of eggs when Ash shouted angrily.

"Hey get back here!"

"Guys! What happened?" I asked, running forwards as Eevee ran at my side. Looking around at all the weird eggs I frowned. "Did these just fall out the sky or something?"

"Team Rocket just stole our egg!" Oh no!

"We have to get it back, come on!" Misty said determinedly. "Come on!" Glancing to Eevee she nodded her head then sprang after Misty and I followed, the boys bringing up the rear as we followed after Team Rocket. What would they want with an egg that we don't even know what Pokémon will hatch out of? Actually, ignore that question, it's Team Rocket. Of course they'll want that egg.

We were led out of the town and down a trail, where eggs began to appear. Huh? Were these ones that Team Rocket had dropped in their haste to get away? "Hey! Look, it's another one!" Misty crowed as she ran forwards then picked up an egg. "If we just follow these eggs, they'll lead us all the way to team Rocket.

"Wow, they must be dumb to leave us a trail of broken eggs." Ash said as Pikachu began to prod at another egg and it brust open with a spring that had a 'loser' sign on it. Pikachu grumbled at it and Eevee glared before swiping it away with her tail.

"If they're so dumb then how come they have the egg?" Brock questioned and Ash's shoulders slumped instantly.

"I guess you have a point there."

"Pika!" Pikachu called to us, pointing so we followed after him as he followed the egg trail with Eevee.

"Vee! Vee!"

"Pika Pika!"

"Huh?" We all looked down to see a small hut hidden amongst the trees, however there was a suspicious trail of eggs leading to it. "They must be in there." Brock said quietly so I picked up Eevee then sprung forwards, sliding down with a scuff of my shoes then rolled, Eevee tucked up in my arms before waving for the others to follow.

We snuck over to the window then looked inside and saw Jessie eating, James cooking and Meowth sitting with his back to us, though he seemed to be polishing something. We all watched as James came over and gave him a plate, smiling proudly but when he said something, Meowth whipped out the frying pan and hit him over the head with it, yelling loudly.

"That's definitely the egg." Brock said as we lowered ourselves down out of sight again.

"Right!" Ash nodded to all of us so we stood and selected our Pokémon. I went to grab Pidgeotto but Eevee pawed at my leg.

"Vee!"

"Huh? You want to battle Eevee?" I questioned and she nodded her head, grounding her feet and looked up at me determinedly. "Okay! Go Eevee, I choose you!"

"Pidgeotto I choose you too!"

"Go Geodude!"

"Misty calls Staryu…" Suddenly a Pokémon leaped out of her bag, flippers clutching its head.

"Psy-aye-aye!" With a growl Misty slammed her bag on his head, glaring at Psyduck as she yelled.

"No not you!" Our Pokémon all brust through the window, smashing it into splinters and shattered the glass as they lunged into battle. Eevee used Quick Attack, darting from Meowth to Jessie then to James, knocking them down as Staryu and Geodude then stunned them slightly with Pidgeotto snatching the egg from Meowth.

"Good work Pidgeotto!" Ash cheered as he took it carefully from him.

"Hey!" Meowth called and we all looked at him. "Give me back my egg!"

"That's funny, and all along I thought this was our egg." Ash returned easily but Meowth wasn't giving up so easily.

"Go get them, and my egg!"

"Go Arbok!"

"Wheezing go!" James yelled and instantly his Pokémon used Smokescreen, making us cough as our vision was impaired.

"Careful Ash, the egg!" Brock called and I dropped to my knees to keep from any of Team Rocket's Pokémon trying to hit me. Suddenly I heard Ash yell after a suspicious scractching sound and Meowth crowed. That sly little alley cat!

"Geodude! Use Tackle!" Brock called and the egg was slammed from Meowth's grip.

"I got it! I got it!" Misty called but then Jessie leaped in the way.

"No, _I_ got it."

"Hey! Staryu, Tackle now!" Looking around I could hardly see a thing, where was everybody? Who had the egg? What is going on?! It seemed that every time someone called out they had it, it was knocked from their grip by one Pokémon or the other.

"Can't see a thing! Pidgeotto, Gust attack! Blow this gas away!" Pidgeotto rose up and trilled with each flap, forcing the gas to dispearse but the strength of the Gust lifted Meowth up into the air, who turned out to have the egg but then it was ripped from his grip.

"Oh no!" I called then pointed from the ground up into the air. "The egg!"

"Quick someone catch it! The egg's going to break!" Misty yelled and Ash dove forwards as it began to fall down to the ground. In Ash's haste he tripped over his own feet and I instantly slapped my face. Really? Of all times to be clumsy, he choses this moment?

"I missed it!" Ash turned around with worry but as the residue of Weezing's gas disappeared, we all blinked in shock to see our favourite yellow fuzzball holding the egg with a proud, innocently happy face.

"Pika…"

"Pikachu!" Ash grinned as he crawled forwards. We all got up and ran to them, smiling proudly.

"You did it Pikachu!" Misty praised as Pikachu let Ash take the egg back.

"Nice catch Pikachu." Brock added with a smile as I knelt down and tickled his belly with a smile and giggle, making him squeal and clutch his stomach, falling onto his back and kicking his legs as I continued to tickle, Eevee joining in with a joyful expression.

"Huh?" We all looked to Ash who was now looking at the egg strangely.

"What's wrong Ash?" Brock instantly asked but Ash continued to stare down at it.

"It feels like there's something moving inside." He told us slowly, holding it carefully and just as he finished speaking, acrs of light began to softly radiate and spread outwards from it. One by one we all gasped and we looked closer, staring as cracks began to appear on the shell.

"It's starting to crack!" Ash beamed, suddenly smiling and Brock leaned closer too.

"Yeah! It's beginning to hatch!" Suddenly Misty shoved the boys apart and held the egg, eager to get a closer look.

"Hey! Let me see!" Beaming excitedly she held it closer as I held me breath, watching with anticipation as finally, the top of the shell crumbled away and a pale head appeared, soft little bumps triangulating upwards as a face appeared and little arms and legs too. It was so adorable! Oh my goodness, mom would totally freak out over this little treasure.

"Piiiii! Togi! Togi!" It chirped and instantly Misty squealed, lifting it up higher.

"Aaaaah! It hatched! It hatched oh how cute!" The little eggshell Pokémon blinked at Misty then chiped its name. "Ah! Hello to you too." Misty smiled, unable to take her eyes off it and I smiled, glancing down to Eevee and Pikachu who leaned closer to it, looking at it curiously. "Oh we're so lucky!"

"Right!"

"We are!" Brock and Ash spoke at the same time as Team Rocket came closer to see the new born Pokémon.

"If Pikachu hand't caught it…"

"That precious little Pokémon might have…" Suddenly James stopped and we all looked at one another. Instantly we sprang back with a gasp or growl, glaring at one another as Jessie adopted a battle stance.

"We have a battle to finish!"

"I almost forgot." James agreed and suddenly the two Pokémon came at us, hissing and wheezing together as Meowth called out with his claws in the air.

"Let's get 'em!"

"Pikachu Thuderbolt attack!" Ash directed and without needing further encouragement, Pikachu tucked himself up into his little body and a burst of powerful lightning jumped out of his body, his voice strong and determined as Misty drew back behind me to shield the baby Pokémon and I scooped up Eevee, holding her in my arms.

Team Rocket were zapped, their bodies shooting up into the air and through the roof with a crash at Pikachu's powerful shock, their voices jittering as they were flung out into the open sky. "Those little brats!"

"They foiled our perfect plan again!" James wailed and then they all shouted out until their voices could no longer be heard save for the lingering echo that surrounded them. "Now Team Rocket's blasting off again!"

"Ha! Good riddance!" I called then hugged Eevee as she beamed. "You were amazing Eevee!"

"Vee! Vee!"

"Come on, let's get out of here!" Ash called, returning Pidgeotto then ran outside where we all followed him until we were safely back in town. Misty hadn't let go of our new Pokémon yet, holding it to her chest and then proceeded to put it on her lap when we found a bench to sit down on. She covered her face with her hands, appearing over the little Pokémon whilst talking in a soft, light voice.

"Where am I?" Then she pulled her hands away to smile further. "Hi!"

"Priiiii! Togi! Togi!"

"Oh it's so cute!"

"It sure is Misty." Ash agreed. "But what kind of Pokémon is it?" He asked, looking to Brock who was our supposed expert in this area.

"Uh…good question." Ash then looked at me but I shrugged. Hey, I knew most things about all Pokémon, especially the cute ones but as far as I was aware, this Pokémon wasn't even on the PokéDex. Hey wait! Our upgraded version might know!

"How about we ask Dexter?" I suggested then pulled out my own and pointed it towards the little Pokémon.

"Togepi, the egg Pokémon. Specific information about this Pokémon is still unavailable." So its name was Togepi, that's a start at least. Maybe I could do my own research on it and add in the information that seemed to be obviously missing.

"So Togepi is your name, you even sound cute!" Misty said to it and it trilled again as Pikachu and Eevee inched closer, nuzzled its blue and red triangle pattern eggshell, making it trill further in laughter. "You think so too, don't you Pikachu?" Misty asked and Pikachu looked at us all with a nod.

"Pikachu!"

"Of course it's cute, all newborns are cute." Ash said matter of factly and I laughed, clapping him playfully upside the head.

"Except you Ash." I told him and he mock glared at me, though he couldn't hold back a grin.

"That's right." Brock said in a really weird voice before lifting Togepi up then stuck out his tongue, making a silly face which only made Togepi stare at him as if it was saying, 'who is this guy?'. I had to laugh.

"So…which one of us gets to keep Togepi?" Ash asked and Brock sent him a look.

"I think I should. I'm the one who incubated the egg." Brock said. This was true, he put a lot of effort into making sure that egg stayed safe and warm.

"But I was the one who found it, I was only letting you watch it for a while." Ash argued back but Brock hardened his features and glared whilst looming over Ash.

"I mothered it!" But then Misty took it from Brock, making them both look at her.

"Well, I think I should get Togepi because it likes me best! Right Togepi?" It trilled happily and I watched it closely, curious at how it seemed to react more positively to Misty than to anyone else. "It's obvious." Misty continued. "Togepi has made the right choice."

"No fair! I found it so it's mine!" Ash whined and I rolled my eyes.

"Well, maybe you should have taken better care of it." Misty returned and I instantly sensed an argument coming on.

"But you never took care of it!"

"That's right. _I_ took care of it!" Brock added heatedly and Togepi looked between all three as Misty turned and thrust her face at them, moving her body so that Togepi was hidden from them.

"You boys are too insensitive! Togepi needs proper nurturing that only a girl can give!" Suddenly Togepi began to get watery eyes and I blinked at it before reaching out and taking it from Misty. "Hey!"

"It's alright Togepi, there's no need to cry." I murmured softly, tickling its belly so that it blinked then slowly began to trill and giggle. "Will you guys keep it down?" I shot at them and they all blinked. "You nearly made Togepi cry!" Looking down with a smile I lifted Togepi up, bouncing it gently in the air and it waggled its feet and arms as it trilled happily.

Bringing it closer to my face I smiled then watched as it reached out with one arm and touched my brow. Without warning I felt something stir in my belly, rising up with a hot furnace through my chest before an image exploded into my mind and I gasped, eyes widening quickly as Misty smiled up at me, her image slightly blurred around the image but it was definitely her face.

Emotions began to swim through me, a strong attachment which turned from myself to Misty, almost like a maternal bond, a love that I could only feel to a parent. There was trust, love and joy, yet then I began to understand that it wasn't my own but it was Togepi's feelings.

I've always thought myself as rather in tune with Pokémon, but this was incredible! This has never happened before, what was going on? When Togepi drew back its hand I groaned, my vision going black and I swayed, only just thinking to pull it close to me as my knees buckled.

"Hey watch out Ruby!" Ash called as he darted forwards and caught me before I could hit the ground. "What happened?"

"I don't know, that was weird." Brock said as Pikachu and Eevee darted over.

"Vee? Vee! Vee!" Suddenly Eevee was licking my face as Pikachu jumped up and shook me, Misty taking Togepi out of my hands as Ash then gently lowered me down. "Vee?"

"Pika? Pika Pikachu!" Groaning I blinked, slowly opening my eyes as the burning heat within me died out and my spinning head began to level out, calming until I was once again fully aware and staring up at me.

"What happened?" I asked, turning to look at Ash who was still supporting me from behind.

"Your eyes flashed a different colour Ruby." He told me and I frowned. "Your entire eye turned blue for a second, was that Togepi?" He asked but I shook my head.

"I don't know, it was weird. But I know who Togepi wants to be with." I said, standing up with Ash's help, reaching down and picking up Eevee to assure her I was okay as Pikachu remained on my shoulder, worriedly touching my forehead to make sure I wasn't coming down with something.

"Really? How do you know?" Brock asked, coming forwards as the three of them crowded in front of me.

"It showed me." I answered them. "And I sensed its emotions, like it was sharing with me what I needed to know." Taking a slow breath I then smiled at Misty. "It's imprinted on you Misty, because you were the first thing it saw so it thinks you are its mother. So unfortunately for you two boys, Togepi has already chosen who it wants its mother to be." Both of them dropped to the floor with a groan.

"It's not fair!" In answer I stood down and smacked his head.

"Tough, you don't get a say in this." Misty squealed and spun around with Togepi with joy.

"I can't believe it! I got a new Pokémon! A cute one too!" I laughed, rubbing both Pikachu's and Eevee's heads as they nestled either in my arms or on my shoulder.

"Pika Pi?" Pikachu asked me worriedly so I smiled.

"I'm fine, I promise." I assured him.

"Vee?" Chuckling I kissed her head.

"Promise."


	26. Chapter 26

Holding Charmeleon in my arms I stroked his head, giving him his medicine as he groaned softly, trying to shake his head to refuse it but I prompted him to take it. "Come on Charmeleon, you need to get better." I told him softly. "If you take your medicine then I'll find you some berries to make you a chili soup, how does that sound?"

Opening his rhumy eyes to look at me, Charmeleon gave me a deep look of thought before opening his mouth slightly. I quickly poured the medicine onto his tongue, holding up his head as he swallowed then shuddered. I did not pull back the spoon in time, so as he clamped his teeth down I lost the head.

"Oh dear…oh well. I have plenty more." I smiled to him, fishing the other piece out of his mouth then began to sponge his head carefully, cleaning his eyes then made sure that his claws were sharp but not overgrown in case I needed to clip them back. "You see? You're already so much improved." I told him as I diligently took care of my poor Pokémon.

"Vee?" Eevee stood up on her hind legs and nuzzled into Charmeleon, trying to comfort him. Charmeleon looked to Eevee then gave a gentle smile, reaching out and rested his hand on her back, stroking her fur before he fell asleep in my arms. I guess I'll have to make that chili soup another time, all Charmeleon wants to do now is sleep.

Smiling I kissed his head. "Goodnight Charmeleon." I murmured then returned him to his Pokéball with a soft sigh. Pidgeotto then returned, landing beside me from her evening flight then nuzzled closer to me, sensing my upset at Charmeleon's illness. Eevee jumped into my lap and curled up there, trying to comfort me too.

"Hey, is Charmeleon okay?" Ash asked as he approached, holding a plate of food for me.

"He's getting better, I just worry about him." I answered with a sullen smile. "Even though we had a rough start, I really care about that hothead. We've been through a lot together and although it won't be long until he goes home, I enjoy having him on my team. He brings a certain spunk that I like." Misty and Brock joined me with smiles.

"Yeah, your team really is a great reflection of who you are." Brock said to me and I tilted my head, unsure of what he meant so he explained further. "Pidgeotto you've had the longest, so looks out for you closely like you do for others. Pidgeotto is strong and very loyal as a friend, like you are." Ash then held up his finger, adding his own analysis.

"Charmeleon is stubborn, hot headed, tempermental and spunky just like you can be sometimes, so you go great together!" I whacked him upside the head for that comment.

"I am not stubborn!" I knew this was a lie but still, he did technically just insult me. Misty laughed then gestured to Eevee.

"Eevee is really playful and upbeat, just like you are! You're always playing games with your Pokémon and tightening the bonds you have with them. Now with Dratini, you're both calm and sometimes shy, but extremely battle ready and very surprising considering your outward appearance." Instanstly she laughed guiltily and waved her hands. "Not that you look weak or anything…"

"I know what you mean." Giving a proper smile I nodded to my friends. "Thanks guys, I really needed that pick-me-up." They all beamed happily, glad to have lifted my spirits and we all settled into our amazing food which Brock had cooked for us.

We ate, talked, laughed and several times teased one another all in good spirit until finally, it was time to settle down for bed. I wriggled into some sleeping clothes, taking off my Pokéball belt also then set it beside me as I lay down close to the fire, looking across to see Misty and Togepi already asleep, Ash and Pikachu already settling down.

"Vee…" Eevee yawned then curled up beside me, turning her back towards the fire to keep herself warm. Yawning myself I turned and closed my eyes, looking up into the night sky, counting the stars and making shapes out of them. Several tiny specks shot across the sky, shooting stars and I smiled, closing my eyes then instantly made a wish.

Yawning one last time I snuggled into my sleeping bag then closed my eyes, happily falling into sleep. The next thing I was aware of, however, was one of my Pokéballs opening with a burst. Eevee's ear twitched but she didn't wake, being too tired from the games we had been playing all afternoon.

Groaning slightly I rolled over, lifting my head slightly and blinked in the dim darkness but couldn't see anything as the fire had gone out. Still slightly asleep I fumbled beside me for the torch I always put by my head then switched it on, turning it towards my belt to find that Charmeleon's Pokéball was empty. Oh no! Instantly I sat up with a gasp, running my torch across the treeline but still found nothing, so I turned it to the ground. Footprints!

"Guys! Guys wake up!" I called and everyone jerked slightly. "Hurry, Charmeleon is gone!" Instantly everyone was leaping to their feet.

"Gone? What do you mean gone?" Misty asked, sitting up as Ash hurriedly pulled on his jacket.

"His Pokéball is empty and his footprints lead into the forest, you have to help me find him, please! He's still sick, I can't let him get worse!" Nodding their heads everyone rose up, ready for the search as they turned on their torches and I clipped on my belt again.

"Okay, let's go!" Ash called and I sighed with relief before leading the way.

"Charmeleon! Charmeleon come back! Please!" I called and the others all joined in.

"Charmeleon!"

"Hey Charmeleon! I have spiced cookies!" Brock tried, shaking a bag but still no joy. We followed his tracks as fast as we could but when they disappeared as the ground became rocky, we began to search manually, scouring the land before us but still, no sign of Charmeleon, not even his tail flame.

"We'd better split up and cover more ground." Brock said as we ran back to one another. "I'll take the higher ground, Ash, you head down that was with Misty back into the forest then split ways when we last found Charmeleon's footprints, Ruby, you carry on ahead and see what you can find."

"Right." I nodded as everyone chorused with me. "Come on Eevee, let's find Charmeleon!"

"Vee!" She sniffed the air, trying to get a scent before following after me as I headed forwards, turning my torch desperately over the ground to try and find him. I turned down a path and gasped as I came closer to a cliff which took me around the rocky trail above.

"Careful Eevee, here, grab on." I said to her then lifted her up into my arms, holding the torch in one and her in the other before making my way forwards. Although the path was fairly wide, I wasn't going to risk anything.

I rounded the corner then, just ahead of me, I saw a flickering flame. "Charmeleon!" I gasped then ran forwards, seeing him just ahead, facing the cliff edge with closed eyes. Was…was he _sleepwalking_? That's never happened before. "Charmeleon, snap out of it! You need to get back from the edge!" I shouted out to him but he still didn't wake.

"Vee…Vee…" Eevee began to tremble, looking around her fearfully and I instantly began to shine my torch around but we were alone.

"What is it Eevee? What's wrong?" I questioned but she merely hid herself in my arms, still trembling in fear of something. If Eevee was afraid then that meant there was definitely _something_ out there.

"Gastly, a Ghost Pokémon. It is usually invisible. Its specialty is Hypnosis." Dexter suddenly said from within my jacket pocket, making me blink then frown. Gastly? There were Gastly around here? I turned and looked ahead of me only to meet a hideous face of withered black skin, large fangs and a flickering snake tongue, red eyes glaring and I screamed, dropping to the ground and Eevee gasped, looking behind her to the frightening picture before racing away.

"Eevee!" I called but let her go, turning back to see the gross and terrifying image to replaced by a ball of black enshrouded in gas, which laughed as it floated before me. Suddenly it was joined by numerous others, all of them joining together until their freakish laughter was all I could hear or think of.

Gasping again I turned to Charmeleon. They must have used Hypnosis on him because he was weak from his illness, thinking they could play a prank but this was just dangerous. "Wake him up!" I yelled at them angrily. "This is not funny, this is dangerous! He could fall!" They continued to laugh, however, so I jumped up and tried to run to him. "Charmeleon!"

The Gastly all moved in front of me, making me stop and take a step back, watching their gas forms glare at me before they turned to face Charmeleon, slowly swarming around him. Charmeleon grunted then lifted a foot, dangling it over the edge then began to to dance, striking weird moves which made all the Gastly laugh and me cry out with worry. "Stop it!"

Losing patience I grabbed Pidgeotto's Pokéball and called her out. "Pidgeotto! I choose you!" She arrived with a flash of light, making the Gastly all turn around with a blink of surprise.

"Pidgeo!" Pointing towards the Gastly I looked up at her.

"Quickly! Use Gust to blow these whisps of gas away!" Pidgeo instantly began to flap her wings, trilling with each strike to whip up a strong gale of wind which slammed into the Gastly, making them clench their oversized eyes shut as gradually, they were forced to dispearse, blown away by the strength of Pidgeotto's Gust attack. "Charmeleon!" I shouted over the wind, running towards him.

Charmeleon woke up with a start, putting his feet firmly back down on the ground then looked around him in confusion, eyes closed slightly in sleepiness. Sighing with relief as he turned I rushed towards him, holding my arms out to catch him as he began to sway.

He collapsed into my arms and I instantly pulled him further back from the edge, holding a hand to his head. "It's alright, I've got you now." I assured him, smiling softly as I tucked his head into my shoulder.

"Pidgeo!" Pidgeotto called out in warning and I looked up. Instantly I gasped, seeing the swarm of Gastly returning with an angry vengeance. Their eyes all glowed white with a flash before diving forwards, enveloping all of us and I cried out as their gas forms began to choke me, the lack of oxygen causing my lungs first to itch then burn.

Dark shadows began to flit across my vision, attacking at both Charmeleon and I as Pidgeotto was grounded by several more Gastly. "Pidgeotto!" I called out in fear, jerking backwards as a Gastly flew at us with a Shadow Ball attack, leaping out the way as it shot towards us.

Fear kickstarted my heart, making it work double time as I struggled to breathe, tears in my eyes as I turned to shield Charmeleon, tugging him away from the attacks of the Gastly which made me take another step back.

Only my foot hit open air and me, having already tried to put weight on it, felt myself slip and fall backwards. I screamed aloud, calling for Pidgeotto as fear now took control of my entire body. "Twister attack!" I screeched, feeling the rush of air as I began to fall downwards, Charmeleon in my arms. I hugged him close to me, trembling violently as a cyclone suddenly appeared overhead and Pidgeotto flew through it, escaping the Gastly then dived down straight for us.

Charmeleon opened his eyes and everything seemed to slow down as he looked at me, groaning weakly so I gave him the best smile I could. "It's going to be okay." I whispered to him and he blinked slowly, still locking his eyes with mine. "I'm going to save you." I promised then pushed him away from me, letting myself drop further as he rose upwards slightly. "Pidgeotto! Catch Charmeleon!" I commanded and she spread her wings, instantly latching onto his arms to keep him from falling. There was a long moment where our eyes remained connected, his deep brown orbs widening as he realised what was happening and what I had just done.

"Pidgeo!" She cried fearfully and I unclipped Dratini's Pokéball, kissing it gently then flung it upwards. Understanding Pidgeotto dived forwards and caught it in her beak easily, rising upwards as I then began to twist and turn, wind slapping into me as I stared downwards. I couldn't see the bottom and I just continued to fall, so it must have been an extremely deep crevasse though we had climbed part of a mountain to get here, so I guess I shouldn't be at all surprised.

I screamed loudly, flailing wildly as blood roared in my ears along with the wind, threatening to burst my eardrums as I was tossed and turned over before finally I faced upwards. Pidgeotto had already taken Charmeleon and Dratini to the top of the cliff, however when I saw a light, I realised someone must be evolving. Pidgeotto? She was turning into Pidgeot for me?

However when a shadow loomed up over the rise, I gasped aloud. A collosal roar shook the cliff and a plume of fire broke apart the Gastly as they continued to swarm. With a spread of his wings, my newly evolved Charizard dove down. "Charizard!" I yelled, reaching out for him and he narrowed his eyes, tucking in his wings as tightly as he could then extended his clawed hands towards me.

Suddenly he engulfed me in his warmth, hands pulling me close into his chest and his wings spread out into a wide berth as he angled himself upwards. I heard the hiss of his body glancing over the ground and I gasped. Just a second longer and I could have been a broken mess on the ground. I shuddered at the thought.

Charizard rose up and sailed up the cliff at incredible speed, rising as I climbed onto his back, standing easily as I beamed from ear to ear. "Alright! Nice catch Charizard!" I yelled, punching the air as I held onto his neck with one hand.

He roared as he hovered in the air, glaring at the Gastly who now turned on us, ignoring Pidgeotto who had tried to blow them away with Gust but they just kept on coming back for more. "Alright you guys, let's do this!" I yelled, glaring venomously at the Gastly. "Charizard, Flamethrower! Combine it with Pidgeotto's Twister to blow this gas balls away for good!"

Instantly a jet of fire burst out, Charizard obeying my command as Pidgeotto flapped her wings, creating a cyclone which lit up with fire as Charizard kept his flame going. The Pokéball in Pidgeotto's talons burst open and Dratini appeared, glaring as she called out, ready to join in as the others appeared.

"Ruby!" Brock called then they all stopped, staring in awe and shock as I stood on Charizard's back.

"Dratini! Dragon Rage!" I roared, enraged by these Gastly and their dangerous attack on us. Dratini opened her mouth and her own cyclone joined the other, whipping up all the Gastly who couldn't even break free, spinning around and around helplessly until finally, I shouted out. "Now!"

They all stopped their attack and the spinning fire cyclone rose up, lifting the trapped Gastly with it then rose up into the sky, spinning around and around before bursting into a bright explosion of fire which I instantly turned my face away from, though when I looked up after a moment I was showered with a rain of bright gold sparkles, which made me gasp then smile.

"Vee! Vee!" Eevee called, leading the others forward as Charizard landed and I jumped down, kneeling down and instantly hugged her too me.

"Good girl for bringing the others Eevee, you clever girl!" I praised then looked to my team as they came closer. "All of you, you were amazing. You saved my life tonight, I hope you all know that." I stroked their heads all in time, making Pidgeotto coo and Dratini call out happily before snuggling into Eevee as they greeted one another. "Especially you, Charizard." I said, turning and standing to face him.

He stood taller than most Charizard normally grew to be, easily seven or eight feet tall so I had to crane my neck to look into his face, but I was overjoyed to see warm affection shining in his eyes. He growled softly then lowered his head, rubbing against my cheek with a happy expression and I laughed, resting my hands on his face as he nuzzled me gently before I flung my arms around him. "Thank you." I whispered as I embraced him and I sensed him nod his head.

"Ruby, what happened?!" Ash asked in shock, staring at my newly evolved Charizard. "Where did all those Gastly come from?" So I turned to face them, though I knelt down to hold my team to me with pride.

"Charizard had been hypnotised by the Gastly when he was a Charmeleon, they led him to this cliff to play tricks and give me a fright, which Eevee ran away from to find you all. I used Pidgeotto's Gust to blow them away and woke Charmeleon up, but then they came back and started attacking." I explained, making Misty gasp.

"Oh no! Were you hurt?" I glanced over the cliff, looking down into the darkness as I shuddered.

"I was pushed over the edge with Charmeleon still in my arms." Everyone gasped. "But Pidgeotto broke free and dove after us, but I told her to save Dratini and Charmeleon first, but when she brought them back to the top she must have been trapped again, which is when Charmeleon evolved. He broke free, dove down and caught me which is when we then combined Pidgeotto's Twister, Charizard's Flamethrower and Dratini's Dragon Rage to get rid of those dangerous Pokémon for good." I stood with a proud look on my face, holding Dratini and Eevee in my arms with Charizard's head hanging over my shoulder and Pidgeotto at my side.

"That's…that's incredible!" Brock gasped in amazement. "And Charizard looks better! It looks like evolving helped his inner fire to relight, getting rid of the last of his cold." Charizard hummed happily as he rubbed his face into mine again, making me beam and giggle, nuzzling him back.

"And you two look great." Misty said to me with a smile. "Charizard is being really affectionate to you."

"I know, it's amazing. He's amazing." I agreed. Ash suddenly face planted the floor.

"Urgh…why won't my Charizard be like that?" I laughed, turning to face him.

"Because Ash, your Charizard is still waiting for you to prove yourself as a trainer. When Charmander evolved into Charmeleon and then into Charizard, its pride grew also, which means it expects only the best from its trainer. Luckily, I had it in reverse so now, Charizard and I are tight fisted buddies! Right Charizard?" He gave a soft rumbling sound in reply then licked my face, slathering me in saliva and I giggled. "That tickled!"

Suddenly Ash's Pokéball burst open and with a flash of bright light, his own Charizard burst free then roared, spreading his wings and my Charizard retaliated, instantly moving around and spread his wings to protect me. The two clashed heads and glared at one another, though for once my usually smaller Pokémon towered over Ash's, though neither seemed intimidated. Suddenly I had a thought.

"But hey, maybe your Charizard might be more inclined to fight." I said to Ash and he leaped up, clenching his fists excitedly.

"Really?" I nodded my head.

"Sure, with my Charizard fully evolved, their rivalry can really heat up. Maybe your Charizard will be more interested in proving himself in battle, so he'll fight more often and listen to you more." Ash blinked then punched the air.

"Alright!" Ash's Charizard growled and suddenly a tail wound around me and the rest of my team protectively, Charizard also spreading a wing to cover us so I laughed.

"Easy there Charizard, there's no need to be so protective." I told him, stroking Pidgeotto's feathers before stepping over his tail, put Eevee and Dratini down then went over to the smaller Charizard, reaching out and patting his arm. "You see?" Ash's Charizard looked dwon, drawing back from the contest stare to growl affectionately at me as I patted his shoulder. "He won't hurt us."

Charizard didn't look too happy as the other lowered his head and let me rub my fingers into his skin, massaging carefully to ease the tension there. It spat out an unimpressed flash of fire then folded his arms so I chuckled. "Okay, your turn now." I said then climbed up his back, making him look at me as Eevee and Dratini followed, calling out excitedly as they began to play on his back.

Pidgeotto landed on his shoulder and nudged him gently. "Pidgeo." She nodded her head once and he did the same, a silent conversation passing between them as I massaged his head and neck, making him relax.

"Okay everybody, I say we go to bed." Brock said with a stretch and a yawn and Ash instantly yawned also.

"Yeah, I'm beat." He's beat? He didn't just get tossed off a cliff! "Charizard, return!" Ash's Charizard went back to his Pokéball and everyone began to retreat, however I slumped against Charizard, my arms around him in a close hug.

"I'm glad you're all better Charizard." I murmured to him softly and he answered in a soft growl, turning to look at me before walking to the edge of the cliff, making me look up and blink. "Huh?" Pidgeotto spread her wings then flew forwards, turning to face us.

"Pidgeo!" When Charizard spread his wings, I understood his intention. Quickly beaming I pulled Eevee and Dratini close to me then placed my hand at the base of his neck to hold on.

"Okay, we're ready! Go Charizard!" He opened his mouth and roared, shooting a plume of fire into the sky then leaped up into the air, diving straight down. I yelled from the adrenaline rush, Eevee and Dratini both crying out in fear but then Charizard swooped back up, angling his body expertly to rise up into the sky then straightened himself out as I gasped for breath, grinning wildly as the wind whipped through my hair.

"You can look now." I whispered to the little Pokémon in my arms. "Look, look at the stars."

"Vee?" They both uncurled from one another and looked up, turning their eyes to the sky and instantly were transfixed. It was so beautiful it was almost as if I could reach out and touch them. They glimmered in their multitude, making the sky seem endless as we soared through it. I could stay up here forever.

Both Eevee and Dratini made sounds of awe and Eevee leaped forwards, standing close to the edge though I anchored her down with my hand as Dratini sat on my shoulder. I looked up as Pidgeotto flew over our heads, reaching up to brush her feathers and she looked at me before making a happy face. "Pidgeo!"

We all flew together, rising higher before flying towards the moon, which beamed in brilliance and I could not have felt happier in that one, perfect moment. And for once, there was nothing to spoil it. Not even Team Rocket.


	27. Chapter 27

The gentle waves rolled playfully against the boat, its broad side never wavering at their frolicking. I smiled and inhaled deeply, drawing in the salty air as I looked up to the wide open blue sky, painted clouds thick and fluffy and brilliant white.

Pidgeotto flew overhead, flapping her wings as she glided on the thermals before swooping around, making me smile softly as she trilled aloud then dove back to the deck, landing on the railings next to me then turned her head, giving a soft little tweet and I rubbed her head, chuckling slightly before giving a sad sigh.

"It's nearly time. Soon Charizard will be leaving to search for his family." Pidgeotto made a soft, comforting noise and rubbed into me, offering me solace and sympathy. "And just when we've finally overcome our differences."

Pidgeotto continued to rub her head into me and Eevee gave a soft whine and licked my cheek, making me giggle slightly. "It's alright, we'll always be friends. Myabe we'll see him again someday." I suggested and Eevee beamed up at me.

"Vee! Vee!" Hugging her close with a smile I then stroked Pidgeotto's head one last time before letting her back into her Pokéball before heading back to the others. Misty gave a wistful sigh as she held Togepi, all of us looking out across the ocean.

"I can't wait until we get to Cinnabar, I hear it's meant to be really beautiful." She said and Brock nodded his head.

"It's got an awesome volcano. Best of all, its Pokémon Research Laboratory is one of the best in the world. Pokémon trainers from all over come to learn the latest Pokémon techniques." Which is precisely where I need to head first to take the Old Amber so that they can start their research and try to revive it. However if it does turn out to be an Aerodactyl then I hope it isn't as hungry as the last one we encountered. Just thinking about it sends shivers down my spine.

"I'm heading straight for the Cinnabar Gym and my next badge!" Ash declared excitedly and I smiled to him.

"Pika!" Pikachu agreed, sitting on Ash's head.

"Don't worry girls." A recognisible voice said in an abnoxious tone which instantly made me groan and slump over. Gary stupid Oaks. "You'll all get a chance to take a picture with me." Suddenly he turned then smirked when he saw us. "Hey look! Who let these losers on the boat?"

"Gary? You're going to Cinnabar Island?" Ash asked in shock as I turned my back pointedly, Eevee blinking up at me.

"Vee?" She crawled out of my arms and sat on my shoulder, looking curiously over to Gary as he continued to smirk in that annoying way. "Vee!" Suddenly she leaped off and I turned, watching in surprise as she ran over to Gary.

"Hey Eevee! Where are you going?" I took a step after her but stopped when she sat down in front of Gary, blinking up at him adorably. Gary gave a quiet laugh then stooped down, lifting her up and she licked his face and instantly all the girls around him squealed.

"Oh it's so cute!"

"I want one, can I hold it?"

"Gary get us all a Pokémon like that!"

"Can we keep it?" Instantly I growled, storming over as the girls began to snatch at Eevee, making her ears go flat against her head as she whined fearfully, trying to wriggle free as they stroked and clawed at her fur, Gary struggling to keep a hold of her.

"Let my Eevee go!" I snapped loudly, grabbing Eevee and easily pulling her free and the little fluffball instantly hid herself in my neckerchief and I cuddled her closely, assuring her she was alright but then I was surrounded by those girls, all trying to get closer to see Eevee.

"Can it do tricks?"

"Oh please let me hold it, I won't run away with it I swear!"

"Let us dress it up! It'll look so cute!" Getting irritated I stepped back towards Ash but directed my anger towards Gary.

"Can you please get your fan squad under control?" He smirked then lifted a hand.

"Girls, girls, let them have some space. Get too close and you might get infected with their lameness disease." Instantly they scuttled back with pathetic squeals of fright, pulling out hand sanatisers and began to clean their hands so I shot a look at Gary.

"You're unbelievable. Can't you just be nice and say 'hi'?" I questioned as Ash and the other two drew back, sensing that I would soon need some room to explode unless something happened to calm me down pretty quickly.

"Well I would, but I have a flawless image to uphold. I can't be seen hanging around with losers like you." He arched an eyebrow and I could tell he was pleased with himself, even though his eyes were covered by some ridiculous sunglasses.

"Ugh, you're such a brute!" I growled then turned around, making to walk away but Gary called after me.

"Running away? It's because you know I'm right, isn't it?" I stopped, growling and tensing my body to try and keep myself from walking over to him and hitting him on the head or at least throwing him overboard, but I kept my cool, taking a deep breath before continuing to walk away. I hated how he riled me up so easily, I'll have to work on keeping my temper.

Ash meanwhile was looking out at all the people on the boat with worry, biting his lip and sweating slightly. "There sure are a lot of people on this boat and I bet they're all Pokémon trainers." They didn't look like trainers to me, more like tourists. Was Cinnabar Island really such a popular destination?

"Trainers? You don't have a clue as usual." Gary said from behind us, lounging in the sun.

"Pokémon trainers haven't gone to Cinnabar Island since my _grandfather's_ days as a Pokémon trainer." He informed us smugly, his girls fluttering about him as they grinned and giggled. "These people are all tourists, Cinnabar Island is a resort."

"Wargh! A resort?!" Ash yelled, leaping in surprise so that Pikachu actually fell off his head with a yelp.

"Pika Pi!" Instantly I knelt down and picked Pikachu up, fussing over him.

"Oh poor Pikachu, did you hurt yourself?" I asked him and instantly Pikachu began to relax as I rubbed his cheek in the spot which helped him relax most.

"Chuuuu!" Giggling Pikachu nuzzled into my cheek then jumped up onto my shoulder, standing there and placing a hand on the brim of my hat to keep steady as Eevee gave a soft sound then sat on my other shoulder, the two Pokémon having a quick, whispered conversation before Pikachu glared at Gary.

"I earned so many badges already I'm taking a break to work on my tan." Gary boasted and I arched an eyebrow at him. As his girls chorused, holding their hands against their cheeks as they smiled prettily.

"He's so cool!"

"Wow Gary, no one could ever call you vain." Brock and Misty giggled at my swipe at him and Gary shot me a glare but didn't bother answering me.

"A real trainer never takes a break, so whilst you're tanning I'll be at the gym winning a badge!" In answer Gary didn't even open his eyes as he replied to Ash's determined expression.

"Cinnabar Island dosen't even have a gym." Giggling his cheerleaders all spoke up.

"Gary knows it all."

"What do you mean?" Ash said with a crestfallen face, upset shining in his eyes. "It's got to have a gym!"

"Well you can believe what you want to but you'll see for yourself. You're wasting your time." Ash growled under his breath, glaring at Gary as he muttered to himself in a determined voice.

"We'll see whose wasting time."

"Pikachu." Pikachu agreed with an electrifying glare at Gary.

"Vee!" Eevee shifted on my shoulder but in doing so grabbed the attention of all the girls and then most of the tourists. Suddenly I had cameras flashing in front of me, peoples squealing as they tried to reach out for her.

"Oh it's so cute, where did you get it? Can I buy it from you?" Horrified I began to stumble backwards, alarmed as people began to crowd around me, still taking photos.

"Mommy I want one. I want one NOW!"

"Please let me hold it, I want to feel its soft fur." They crowded closer and closer then began to push and shove, jolsting one another to get closer. What was all the fuss over? I know Eevee's cute but it didn't mean they had to swarm around her.

"Hey give Ruby some space!" Ash called, trying to pull people back and Brock and Misty joined in.

"Yeah leave her alone!" Misty elbowed her way forwards, trying to reach me as I hugged Eevee and Pikachu to me, trying to break free myself. "Ruby!" Suddenly someone was shoved forwards with particular force and slammed into me, making me yelp and trip over my own feet.

I hit the railing and it dug into my back but then the force was so great that I continued to tilt, my weight being thrown backwards until finally, I slipped over the edge. "Ash!" I yelled in fear, striking the water after only a second of falling.

The cold rushed through me and I flinched but instantly began to kick my legs, rising up to the surface to breathe in fresh air. "Pikachu!" I called, seeing the little electric Pokémon struggling against the rather playful and choppy waves. "Eevee!"

"Vee! Vee! Vee!"

"Ruby!" Brock called but I was already swimming towards the Pokémon. "Hang on Ruby!" Brock yelled again then flung a life ring over the side. I spat out a mouthful of water as I reached Eevee first, lifting her out of the water as she paddled and struggled to keep afloat with her thick fur so I put her on my back.

"It's okay, I've got you now." I smiled to her and she shivered from the cold, keeping close to me as Pikachu and I swam to one another.

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu called and I reached out to him, pulling him close as he looked up at me with wide brown eyes. "Pika Pi, Pikachu!"

"I know, it sucks to be wet again." I agreed then put him on my back also. "But it's okay, I know how to swim now so we won't drown." The people on the boat were gasping and pointing as I swam expertly, my smooth strokes cutting through the waves until one hit me full on and knocked me off course, pulling me back out to sea. Uh oh, this wasn't good.

"Ruby!" Ash yelled and tried to leap over the side but Brock held him back. "Pikachu! Don't worry I'm coming buddy!"

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu answered, still clinging onto my backpack and hugged Eevee, keeping her steady for me as I began to battle against the current. The boat continued to move further away, despite Misty having run to inform the captain what had happened and no doubt order him to do something about it.

Shaking hair out of my face I clamped my mouth shut as I was rocked with the waves, trying not to swallow anything before surging forwards once more. We were getting close to shore now, I could probably swim onto the beach and meet the guys at the port just as easily as trying to go after the boat which was beginning to dock.

Why was it always me getting knocked into the water? Next time, I'm going to drag someone else with me. See how _they_ like it. "Squirtle!" I blinked as a blue head suddenly rose up from the water and beamed at me. "Squirtle Squirtle!"

"Wartortle!" I gasped as another Pokémon suddenly appeared, looking at me before blowing a series of bubbles into my face. Hey! Its Gary's evolved Squirtle! I laughed aloud as suddenly Seadra appeared and I smiled to them all.

"Hey guys! Have you come to rescue us?" I asked and they all nodded their heads.

"Squirtle." Ash's Squirtle came forwards and swam around me, making sure I was oaky as Seadra nuzzled close, bubbles popping in its mouth as I tickled its belly.

"Okay then, Squirtle if you can carry Pikachu and Seadra, will you look after Eevee for me?" Both Pokémon instantly nodded their heads and moved around, letting either Pokémon jump onto their backs.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu beamed, looking over to me with a wide open mouth in a happy expression as he stood on Squirtle's back. Eevee splashed into the water happily, kicking her paws then slipped her front ones over Seadra's shoulders, gripping on as it began to circle around us, making her squeal in excitement, Squirtle chasing after them. "Pika Pi!"

"Vee! Vee!"

"Squirtle Squirt!"

"Sea! Dra, Dra!" Giggling I swam towards Wartortle, rubbing his face then tickled his chin, making it laugh then burp a few bubbles at me, only making me laugh further.

"And can I ride with you? Is that okay?" I asked and Wartortle nodded his head.

"Tortle!" Grinning I gripped onto his firm shell then looked to the others.

"Okay guys! Let's surf these waves!" I cheered then suddenly, I was yanked forwards by a swift speeding Wartortle. I gave a whoop from the thrill, beaming as the waves split and surfed either side of me, Pikachu and Eevee enjoying the ride as much as I was.

"Pikachuuuuu!" We all swept easily through the water, riding out the waves until we hit the beach where I crawled onto shore, slumping slightly as my wet clothes dragged me down. However once I felt a little more energised I stood and picked Seadra out of the water, tickling its belly and it squealed at me as I smiled then made sure everyone was okay.

"Pikachu, Eevee? Are you both alright?" I asked, kneeling down in the sand and checked for injuries.

"Pika Pika!"

"Vee!" They both reassured me so I stood, still holding Seadra in my arms.

"Well then, we'd better go find the others. Thanks for helping us you three, you're real heroes."

"Squirtle Squirt." Squirtle shrugged but looked pretty pleased with himself whilst Wartortle mearly stepped closer and hugged my leg, smiling gently as it rubbed its cheek into me. I giggled then reached down, scratching his head.

"Come on, let's go!" I said to them brightly and together we made our way towards the docks where it was easy enough to spot the guys, as they were looking out across the beach away from the throng of tourists.

"Ruby!" Brock called, noticing me first and the three of them ran to me. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, thanks for sending me some help." I told them though I then let my smile drop. "Though I swear the ocean has something against me." Misty gave a little laugh but then everyone was looking behind me, Ash folding his arms and glaring slightly indignantly. With a sigh I turned around and faced Gary.

He looked at me carefully, glancing me over before nodding his head, satisfied that I was okay. Gary lifted two Pokéballs calling his Pokémon back. "Good job guys." He said, pulling Seadra from my arms and Wartortle from my side before he looked up at me.

I turned my head, clenching my jaw tightly as I threw away my pride. "Thanks Gary." I sensed him step closer and I looked to see him move close to me and his arms slipped around me. I blinked at him then felt a heavy but warm towel be pulled around my shoulders, wrapping me up warmly and he gave me a private wink.

"Try be a little less clumsy next time Rubes." He said aloud for the benefit of his reputation but I somehow didn't find his comment affected me. I gave a little smile as he drew away then chuckled quietly, stretching my smile as I closed my eyes into the expression.

When I opened them again Gary was already turning and walking away with his several lady friends. "Hey, that was pretty nice of Gary." Misty said as I turned to face them, pulling the towel closer around me. "I guess he's not really that bad."

"Don't be fooled, it won't last." I said to her as I stooped down then began to rub dry Pikachu and Eevee, ruffling their fur with a part of the large towel until I pulled back, giggling as their fur stood out on end. Eevee shook her fur out until it was flat and neat, jumping into my arms and licked my cheek.

"Vee!" I caught her easily, smiling as I hugged her close to me.

"Pikachu." Pikachu sighed then shook out his body, flattening his hands over his stomach then pressed his ruffled hair at the top of his head down before climbing up to Ash's shoulder.

"Glad you're okay Pikachu. Shall we go find the gym now?" Ash suggested and Pikachu nodded his head.

"Pika Pika!" He said quickly as I continued to hug Eevee, enveloping her in the towel. We turned together towards the island city, walking off the pier to see the streets full of stalls, streamers of flags spread overhead as people danced and greeted the tourists, offering them necklaces of flowers. Everyone sighed in disappointment.

"Maybe Gary was right." Ash admitted unwillingly, glancing up to Pikachu who was once again riding on his head.

"This place _is_ a tourist trap." Misty looked towards the souvenir stalls then shook her head, arms curled softly around Togepi who trilled in agreement.

"Well, might as well look around." Brock said and they all moved forwards.

"This stinks. I thought this was supposed to be one of the toughest training places anywhere around." I grumbled as I walked past a stall of mini volcanoes for sale. "Why did tourists have to come along and ruin everything?" Though no one answered, they all secretly agreed.

"No sign of a Pokémon Gym but there sure are a lot of tourists around. There are so many nice islands, I wonder why this one became so popular." Brock wondered aloud and I was about to answer when we stopped short, blinking at a tall man with round purple glasses, a red shirt and long hair.

"The answer is a riddle. What do tourists think is hot and cool?" Everyone blinked up at him in confusion and again I was going to answer when Ash suddenly beamed.

"I know the answer!" I turned to look at him, knowing that this was probably not going to make any sense at all. "If you lie down in an open refrigerator and wrapped yourself in an electric blanket, you'll be hot and cool at the same time! Right?" He looked up hopefull and I just deadpanned him before smacking his head.

"No genius. The answer is hot springs." I told him and Misty smiled softly in agreement.

"Hot springs are pretty hot and tourists think they're cool." She explained and the hippie guy lifted a finger towards the sky.

"That's right! See kids, because of the volcano, there are lots of hot springs here on Cinnabar Island, and every year more and more tourists come to visit them. Now they've even taken over Cinnabar Island. Trainers don't come anymore." Suddenly he dropped to his knees and cried up to the sky dramatically, making everyone take a step back from him. "Tourists! They've ruined the island!"

"Is the Pokémon gym still here? I have to earn the volcano badge." Ash asked and the man stiffened in place, listening to him.

"I heard that the gym leader is a guy called Blaine." Misty piped up and the guy stood up, looking at us all intently.

"His gym, is right where you put your glasses." Ash scratched his head, desperately trying to work it out and I could imagine his cogs turning in his head.

"Glasses…"

"Hmm, that's a tricky one." Brock said slowly but Misty and I answered together though in different tones. I replied a little more flatly then she did.

"In front of your eyes?"

"Right again! Blaine's gym _is_ right in front of your eyes." He announced then pointed towards a crumbling shack, wooden beams hammered to the fence in a cross to make a vauge attempt at keeping people out. Everyone gasped in surprise, even Eevee and Pikachu called out in shock at the shabby gym they were running here.

"That's it?" Brock exclaimed.

"It's a wreck." Misty agreed as we all looked at it with wide eyes.

"Blaine got tired of battling tourists who cared more about postcards and T-shirts than about Pokémon, that's when he abandoned the gym."

"But I'm not some stupid tourist!" Ash yelled desperately, turning towards the man. "I'm a real trainer! I came all the way out to this island just so I could battle for my volcano badge!" Unfased by Ash's yelling the guy turned a blank look towards him.

"I'm afraid you've come to the wrong place my friend." He reached into his back pocket then handed Ash a business card. "Here's my card. If you need anything." He said kindly and we all leaned closer to have a look.

"The Big Riddle Inn." Ash read aloud and Misty frowned.

"An inn? How could you run an inn then blame tourists for ruining the island? That doesn't make any sense to me." But when Brock looked up, the weird hippie guy had disappeared completely from view.

"He's gone!"

"Huh?" But sure enough he was nowhere in sight. That's kind of creepy.

"I wonder how he disappeared like that!" Brock asked and I smirked.

"Maybe he's really a ghost." But at my suggestion, everyone shuddered. Our run in with ghosts recently hasn't been of great experience. Perhaps we'd better not mention it again. Turning around we head back into town, heading towards the research lab.

"Well even if it's full of tourists we ought to check out that lab." Ash said aloud and Brock agreed.

"It can't be that bad." But my face dropped in disappointment, my voice dropping a few tones as I looked out at the hundreds of stalls selling Pokémon research based souvenirs.

"Wanna bet?" I challenged and everyone looked.

"Huh? Hey! It's just a bunch of souvenir stands!" Brock rubbed his head, looking around him in disappointment.

"Looks like the research lab is just another tourist attraction." Suddenly Ash's belly rumbled and we all looked at him as he blushed and laughed guiltily.

"Whoops, looks like all this disappointment is making me hungry." Misty then smiled.

"We should call it a day. Why don't we check out the Pokémon centre?" Misty suggested and everyone nodded their head in agreement but I stepped back towards the lab.

"I've got to go in. A scientist in Pewter gave me something a while ago to bring here to the lab, I'd better hand it over. I'll catch up with you guys in a while, it shouldn't take long." I promised them and they all smiled at me.

"No problem Ruby, we'll meet you at the Pokémon Center!" Ash called and waved as I turned and headed towards the lab.

"Vee?"

"I know, it's stupid. All these tourists coming here, I bet they scared away most of the Pokémon that used to live around here too." I sighed, shaking my head. The doors slid open to admit me and I walked up to the desk where a lady sat manning the phones and typing frantically on the computer. "Hello can I help you?" She asked in a rather bored tone so I simply shot her a look then drew out the Old Amber.

"My name is Ruby Bates, I've been asked to deliver this relic to the lab in Cinnabar and here I am." I told her firmly and she gasped. Leaping out of her chair she hammered her fist on a button and called down the microphone.

"Professor! Professor Dawson! She's here with the Old Amber!" A panicked and elated voice practically yelled back and I flinched away from the loud sound, Eevee whimpering too as she flattened her ears.

"What are you waiting for then? Send her up!" The woman now smiled to me, handing back the Old Amber.

"Please, take the lift up to the seventh floor. Thank you for being so quick in your journey here." She smiled at me and I nodded my head, smiling back before heading towards the elevator which pinged and its doors slid open to admit me just as I reached it. I pressed the button for the seventh floor, rising up until finally, the doors slid open.

A hand darted inside and dragged me out before clasping my hand and shaking it vigorously. "It's so good to see you, I can't tell you how excited we are to see if our genius invention truly works, and on Old Amber no less! This really is a moment to be remembered in history, the day we revive a prehistoric Pokémon!" All the while I could feel my brain rattling inside my head at the fierce shaking of my hand.

Once he let go I gave a dizzy smile at the scientist, whose receeding hairline showed the baldness at the top of his head and the shininess of his skin. "Glad to help. Here you are." I handed over the Old Amber and the scientist instantly squealed.

"Follow me!" He ran to a desk and leaped over, though he then skidded to a halt and turned to face me, glasses slightly askrew. "Just wait here, I'll start things up." He then disappeared behind a door, closing it firmly and I waited, looking down at Eevee who blinked up at me.

"Vee?" I smiled then put her on the desk to slide out of the towel, turning it around so that the dry side now rested against my still damp clothes, wrapping myself up again then picked up Eevee. Suddenly there was a whirring of sound and lights began to dance behind the door, bright white with flashes of red.

The door flung open and the scientist stepped through, sighing with relief. "It's working! Oh this is so exciting…" He babbled then turned to me. "You deserve a reward for bringing the Old Amber all this way. Hmm…I know! He dashed over to a cupboard then drew out a Hidden Machine, running back over to me then pressed it into my hands. "Here, this is the HM for Fly, if you teach it to your Pokémon then you only need to tell it a town or city and if it has been there before, it'll know the way back very easily." He said and I smiled to him.

"Thank you sir, that's very kind of you." I put the HM in a pocket, planning on using it later for Pidgeotto. It might be very useful.

"No problem, it'll take a while for the machine to work, how about I ask someone to show you around?" I thought for a minute, sorely tempted to say yes but I sighed then blushed with embarrassment.

"I can't, I have to go find my friends now. But if it's alright, I know that we would all love a tour tomorrow, we're all Pokémon trainers and I'm researching them." I explained and if this man's eyes could have grown any wider, they did. "I'm looking at all Pokémon and learning how to raise and nurture them, learning how to take good care of them and how to cater to their needs. I was hoping to learn a few things here if that's alright with you."

"Yes!" He cried happily, clapping his hands then danced around though in his clumsiness he slipped on a book and fell with a crash to the ground. "Oof!"

"Oh! Are you alright?" I asked, letting Eevee leap of my arms as she rushed to the scientist then worriedly began to nuzzle at his face, trying to put his glasses back on the right way.

"Vee? Vee?" I gripped his arm and helped to him his feet as she shook out his head, blinking before laughing.

"Whoops! Clumsy me." He then coughed, clearing his throat before picking up Eevee, chuckling as he stroked her fur, making her squeal happily and kick her legs before she was handed back to me. "Such a sweet Pokémon. Anyway as I was saying, yes of course, I should love to allow you and your friends to have a look around. It's been a while since anyone but tourists have been here, they don't really care about the Pokémon. They just want to collect rare rocks from our souvenir shope." He then frowned and scratched his bristly beard that looked like it hadn't been clipped in a while. "Thoguh we do earn a huge profit from sales…anyway. Of course, you must come tomorrow any time you are ready."

"Thank you! I can't wait." I told him then shook his hand. "It was nice to meet you Professor Dawson."

"And you Ruby. Take care now, I shall arrange passes for you and your friends tomorrow, might I have their names?" I nodded then wrote down everyone's names on a piece of paper for him so that he wouldn't forget, gave one last wave then head back to the elevator.

When I stepped out I instantly rushed to the Pokémon Centre where I met the gang outside. "What's wrong?" I asked them, frowning in confusion. "Why aren't we going inside?"

"It's completely full with tourists!" Brock said with a grumble. "There's so many that people are even sleeping in the lobby, though I think we were the only ones in that entire centre who actually have Pokémon." My shoulders slumped instantly.

"We could always just camp out again." Misty suggested as we all began to walk away.

"But I was looking forward to a nice, normal bed for a change." I answered and Eevee agreed with a soft whine.

"Hey look!" Ash called, spotting a hotel. "I bet we'll get a room there!" We all instantly ran, tired and hungry and desperately in need of a bath to change out of these sea washed clothes of mine. However when we got there the woman stared at us as if we were idiots.

"You must be joking! We haven't had a room in weeks." It was the same for the next one.

"No rooms in this hotel! We're booked up for a year! Try coming back late next summer, or maybe in the fall!" And the next one.

"Sorry uh…nothing here." He had whilst looking down at us pitifully. It was the same for all of them!

"Have you tried the hotel across the street?"

"Sorry, no vacancies." We all dropped our heads and groaned. Looks like camping out was our only option. We trudged out of the last hotel, our feet weary and aching. My arms had long since been too tired to carry Eevee so she walked at my side, rubbing her fur against me, trying to coax me along with soft encouragement.

"Vee…vee…"

"I'm so hungry I could eat a Horsea." Ash moaned.

"I'm too tired to eat." Misty said, stretching back her neck as she walked with her eyes closed. "I just want a nice soft bed." Ash stopped and turned towards a hotel, groaning as the smell of food wafted out and pulled him closer enticingly.

"I've had it. Let's just find a spot to camp out."

"Hey…that smells good…" Ash's stomach rumbled loudly as he walked towards the hotel.

"Ash! We've already tried this one, it's full." Misty told him but that didn't stop him. Dreamily he walked towards the lights of the hotel, sniffing the air.

"It's not fair, they're having a banquet in there." Ash gazed longingly at the window. Suddenly his stomach grumbled even louder than before and he clutched it, trying to hide the sound but then a shadow moved from behind the screen, obviously having heard the noise. When it slid open, everyone's mouths dropped open to see Gary richly dressed in a fine kimono.

"I thought I heard something out here." He said then looked at us, smirking. "Hey look it's the sucker squad! So, what hotel are you staying out?" Ash drew himself up proudly, glaring at Gary.

"We're camping out."

"Too bad you don't have a place like this." Gary then boasted, sliding the screen further aside. "Take a look." He slid the door further open and I began to drool at the sight of so much delicious food spread out before him and his stupid cheerleading squad whilst a Hitmonlee and an Electabuzz played their instruments, dressed in kimonos. "See all the food they give you? And that's just the appetisers." Gary boasted and my belly gave a loud rumble. "Say, I've got an idea." Gary said, looking at us smugly. "I'll give you my leftovers in a doggy bag, if you spin around three times and say Pikachu!"

Both Ash and I clenched our fists, waving them above our heads as we tensed and growled loudly. "Not on your life! I'd die of hunger first!" Ash yelled and I continued after him.

"We'd rather eat our own sleepingbags before we spin for you!" But then our bellies grumbled again.

"Haha! You should let your stomachs do the talking." I glared at him then looked away, folding my arms across my chest as I lifted my chin proudly.

"Vee?" Eevee tilted her head to the side and looked at Pikachu questioningly and he gave a little shrug.

"Pika Pi." Pikachu nodded to Eevee and the two of them began to spin around, Eevee bouncing happily with a smile on her face as they turned three times and Pikachu opened his mouth, beginning to say the word when Ash clapped his hand over him to keep him quiet.

"No Pikachu!" Lifting him off the ground I then scooped up Eevee on her back, tickling her tummy to make her squeal and kick up with her legs happily as I chuckled. "We'll never become so desperate that we have to sink to Gary's level." Ash said to Pikachu as I hugged Eevee.

"But thank you for trying anyway. We'll find you something to eat in a moment." I promised her. Suddenly Gary was laughing, tears in his eyes from the amusment that obviously tickled him.

"Even your Pikachu feels sorry for you Ash, I've never seen anyone so pathetic."

"Have you tried a mirror?" Misty retorted and I grinned before sticking my tongue out at Gary in a childish manner.

"Let's go Ash." Brock suggested pointedly just as the door in the room slid open to reveal a plump, roung, pink fluffball.

"Ah great, that must be the entertainment." Gary said, turning around and looking at the newcomer who chirped happily at him.

"Jiggly." Suddenly we all yelled in fear.

"Wargh! It's Jigglypuff!" Clapping our hands to our ears we began to run for it, getting as far away as we could but then Togepi leaped out of Misty's bag and waddled curiously back, trilling cheerfully but Pikachu and Eevee doubled back, calling out to her.

"Vee! Vee!" Pikahcu grabbed Togepi and lifted her onto Eevee, making Togepi kick her legs with glee and grip onto Eevee's long ears as she then raced back after us as we found our way out of the city and up onto an overview where it was quiet and peaceful.

"Hey, where's Togepi?" Misty suddenly yelped, sensing her baby Pokémon was missing so I glanced back as she began to panic. "Togepi!"

"It's okay Misty, Pikachu and Eevee are keeping an eye on Togepi." I said to her, smiling as I placed my hands on my hips and watched as Eevee ran towards me, Togepi riding on her back and holding onto her ears. "You good girl Eevee, and you too Pikachu." Pikachu ran up alongside Eevee and beamed.

"Pika Pika!"

"Toge-piii!" I chuckled as Misty grabbed Togepi with a sigh of relief, hugging her close.

"Now don't scare me like that again Togepi! I don't know what I'd do if you went missing." Misty told her then snuggled her close, rocking her gently as I picked up Eevee and rubbed her head.

"Good job guys." I told them both, lifting Pikachu up then set him on my should, tickling his tummy so he squealed, gripping the tickled area.

"Chuuuuu!" Laughing I raced to join Ash and Brock who were gasping for breath, leaning against a bench for support.

"That was close." Brock said and we all groaned in agreement.

"Jigglypuff almost got us." I kind of felt bad for Jigglypuff. All it wanted to do was sing and perform to people. I know if I was trying to show someone how well I could sing, I'd be pretty annoyed if everyone kept on falling asleep during my concert. Not that I could sing, by the way. If I tried to sing, I end up sounding like a Zubat using Screech.

"Yeah but at least those guys are sleeping now." Misty moaned as everyone crashed out on the ground, to tired to even remain standing. Suddenly Brock looked up as if an idea had come to mind and he turned to look at Ash.

"Ash, what about that card that old man gave you?" Ash blinked then pulled the card out of his pocket to read the back.

"Hmm…must be directions to his hotel." He summerised and we all crowded together to read what it said.

"That's strange. _'If you look near the swing, you'll see my hands, or at least my face'_." He recited the riddle and I began to think about it, frowning slightly as Ash groaned loudly.

"Aw, not another riddle!" I shot him a look then smacked him upside the head, almost knocking off his hat.

"Then leave the deep thinking to us girls, unless you want to hurt yourself." I quipped then looked to Misty who was thinking like I was. Brock turned to look at a playground, noticing the swings.

"Hey, there's a swing over there but I don't see anyone's hand or face." I looked to Misty who hummed quietly, but then it suddenly clicked.

"Hey! Maybe he means a clock!" I said, tapping my finger against my hip as I rested my hands there. "You know, a clock has hands and a face." Misty suddenly smiled.

"Of course! Look, there's a clock up there." She pointed above the swings to a house with a large clock on the side facing us, gleaming in the moonlight. Suddenly I swept Eevee up into my arms and ran up the path, turning to yell over my shoulder.

"Come on what are you waiting for?!" We all raced up the hill, struggling for breath towards the end but by the time we had reached the door, I was so relieved that I didn't even notice the stitch in my side. As we all paused to catch our breath back at the door, it flew open and the hippie guy looked down at us.

"So which one of you worked out my little riddle?" He asked and Brock turned to Misty and I.

"Ruby solved the riddle and Misty spotted the clock." He answered and the hippie grinned, making a ding dong sound of success.

"Looks like the girls come out on top again! Come in, get yourselves out of the out and in on the inn." I needed no further prompting. Eevee tucked up in my arms I stepped inside first and instantly flopped down to the ground.

"This is so nice, it smells so yummy here…like I could eat the floor…" I groaned, letting go of Eevee who bounced around happily, sniffing at all objects curiously before leaping back over to me.

"Vee! Vee!" She bounced up my back then sprawled over my head, beaming down at me then licked my cheek, making me giggle as I stood up. The hippie folded his arms neatly, looking at the four of us as we stood together, our Pokémon happily settled on one shoulder or the other.

"As a prize for solving my riddle, I'll give you kids free accommodation." Ash beamed.

"Your riddles may be dumb but your prizes are terrific!" My smiled dropped and I sent him an unimpressed look.

"I guess I'll take that as a compliment Ash." The hippie said as I slapped Ash on the back of his head as gently as I could, but hard enough to send the message.

"Way to go Ash." Suddenly our stomachs rumbled and I gave a guilty smile as Ash laughed under his breath, the hippie dude looking down at us blankly.

"Guess you want dinner too." He said and I instantly thanked Heaven for the suggestion.

"Right." Ash agreed and I literally fell on my knees and bowed before him.

"Oh thank you thank you thank you!" So when he brought out hot food, I ran to the table, lifted Eevee into my lap then practically inhaled the food, wolfing it down greedily before gulping and looking down at Eevee who was blinking up at me innocently. "Sorry Eevee, do you want some?" I asked her and she nodded her head.

"Vee!" So I smiled and slowed down, sharing with her so that she got a fair portion as well.

"Hey Misty, aren't you hungry?" Ash asked to the redhead who hadn't even touched her food.

"I'm too tired to eat." She answered so Eevee leaped up onto the table.

"Vee!" She bounced over to Misty's bowl and began to eat from it, munching happily away and Misty smiled, stroking her fur as the phone began to ring.

"Coming, I'm coming!" The hippie said cheerfully to the phone then picked it up. "Thank you for calling the Big Riddle Inn, if you'll be our guest then we'll keep you guessing." He said in a gentle, quiet voice as I continued to shovel all the food into my mouth I could. "That's awful!" He suddenly yelled and we all looked up.

"Is something wrong?" Ash asked as he turned around to face us.

"The Pokémon Lab is being attacked by a balloon!" Ash and I leaped to our feet, mouths dropping open in astonishment. There was only one group of criminals that would do such a thing. Team Rocket! Slamming my hands on the table Eevee jumped with a twitch of her ears.

"So what are we waiting for, let's go!" I yelled and scooped her up, putting her onto my back as I ran for the door.

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu called and raced after me, everyone piling out as we then raced for the lab. We slid down the cliff as a shortcut, taking time out of our hasty journey but by the time we reached the lab, Team Rocket had already bagged the Pokémon and were lifting them up in a giant net.

"They're floating away!" I clenched my teeth and looked to Eevee who glared upwards at the balloon.

"Vee!"

"Well I'm about to burst their bubble!" Ash declared then flung forwards a Pokéball. "Pidgeotto, go!" he yelled and I smirked, selecting one for myself. Pidgeotto flew out with a flash of light then flapped his broad wings. "Pikachu, you and Pidgeotto go bring back all those Pokémon."

"Pika!" Pikachu leaped onto Pidgeotto's back and I unclipped one of my Pokéballs, looking down at it then to Eevee who nodded her head.

"Vee."

"Okay Charizard, I choose you!" I called and threw the Pokéball forwards, catching it again as it sprung back to me. Charizard drew himself up and roared, a spout of fire blowing from his jaw but then he lowered his head and rubbed into me, making me giggle as he blew hot air down my neck. "Charizard! There's no time for playing now, you have to focus!" I laughed, unable to stop as he tickled my side.

Charizard lifted his head back and looked at me so I sucked in a deep breath then pointed upwards. "Get ready to catch those Pokémon!" I directed and he looked up to the Team Rocket balloon. Instantly he growled, narrowing his eyes in anger then with a flap of his wings shot into the air, stretching out his long neck as Pikachu and Pidgeotto flew close.

Pikachu used a lightning attack on the balloon, shocking Meowth, Jessie and James so that the net slipped through their fingers. I gasped, holding my knuckles to my lips with worry but then Charizard swooped down and grabbed the net with both claws, flapping his strong wings and rose back up into the air so that the Pokémon didn't fall a great height. "Alright Charizard! Great catch!" I cheered. Looks like all those catching games really paid off.

Holes burst in the Team Rocket balloon and I watched with satisfaction as they began to spiral up into the air, their voices crying out in unison. "Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!" That was one saying I would never tire of hearing.

Beaming happily I raced forwards as Charizard landed, putting the net down first so that all the Pokémon could untangle them from the net. "Go Charizard! You were super awesome as always!" I cheered, leaping up and flinging my arms around his belly as Eevee sprung up and hugged him too.

"Vee! Vee Vee, Vee!" Charizard gave a soft growl and reached down with his head, rubbing against us gently and I reached up to hold his head, gazing into his eyes proudly. I rubbed the spot between his eyes which relaxed him most and he snorted slowly, a puff of smoke and hot air enveloping me as Eevee jumped onto his neck and hung on, trilling happily as he stood back up, tall and proud.

The fighting Pokémon all cheered, pumping the air with their fists then leaped forwards, surrounding us. I gasped then giggled as a Machoke lifted me up into the air, parading around as Charizard glared suddenly, watching carefully as I was cheered by the Pokémon and the staff from the lab at the windows.

I laughed and giggled, looking around as the Machoke then put me down and I suddenly had other Pokémon crowding around me. Smiling I lifted up a little Machop, giggling still as it cheered happily, a broad smile on its face. "It's alright, we're happy we could help, aren't we Charizard?" I said to my Pokémon who huffed then looked away. "Besides, you should thank Ash too, he's the one who sent his Pidgeotto and Pikachu to stop the balloon." Suddenly a group split off and was running towards Ash as the hippie thanked him profoundly and said something more, another riddle I think.

Ash dropped to the ground at the new riddle, complaining loudly but when the fighting type Pokémon rushed at him and hoisted him up into the air, he yelled out loudly as they began to throw him up into the air and catch him again, bringing him back over as I was once again lifted up.

I laughed, looking down at the Hitmonlee which held me up then squealed as I was thrown into the air. "Hey Ash!" I called and he looked over, though he semed a little sea sick. "Guess they're trying to say thank you!" He groaned as he was tossed up into the air again, arms and legs flailing until finally, the Pokémon put us down.

Swaying on my feet slightly I smiled, fumbling to find my footing as the Pokémon Lab researchers came running out to round up the Pokémon. The Machop hugged my legs one last time, making me smile and rub its head before it was ushered away by one of the researchers.

Charizard glared after the Pokémon then huffed again so I walked over to him. "Aw Charizard, are you jealous?" I teased and he shot me a looked before snorting again, looking away so I reached up and rubbed his belly. "Come on Charizard, don't be like that. Don't be mister grumpy." I started to rub his belly and although Charizard tried to hide it, he slowly began to crack. As I scratched at his belly at all his soft spots, making him chuckle before he fell over onto his back, Eevee yelping slightly as she leaped up then landed on his chest also, smiling and cheering as she bounced on his belly as I continued to tickle Charizard.

I laughed, falling on Charizard and rubbed both my hands into his skin before exhaling and standing up. "Alright Charizard, time for you to get some rest I think." I said, lifting my Pokéball to return him but then Charizard lifted his head, sniffing the air before getting to his feet.

His face was turned towards the volcano, his mouth open to taste the air and I froze in place, watching him carefully. Suddenly I felt a wave flush over me, a wave of feeling of yearning that wasn't my own. It was Charizard's.

How I felt this I wasn't sure, all I knew was that Charizard now wanted to go and he was perfectly capable of leaving if he wanted to. He could just fly away. However he turned to face me and I blinked before slowly putting his Pokéball back on my belt.

Tears rushed to my eyes and Eevee looked up at me with concern, sitting close to my feet and softly rubbed her face into my leg. "Vee?" Tears dropped down my face and I breathed deeply, trying to stay calm but I couldn't hold it in. Running forwards I lifted my arms and flung them around Charizard's face, holding him close to me.

"I'll never forget you Charizard." I whispered through my tears, holding onto his snout as I rubbed my brow against his. "You'll always be my first Pokémon." Charizard made a soft crooning sound looking into my eyes as I pulled back slightly to look at him before holding onto him again. "I love you."

In answer Charizard stuck out his tongue and slathered me with it, making me giggle weakly. Charizard then drew back so I stepped away to wipe my eyes clean, taking deep breaths before looking up at him, still trying to wipe my eyes but tears kept on flowing. "Go on. Go find your family." I said to him so he snorted for one last time before looking up to the sky. "It's alright Charizard."

Nodding his head he gave me one last look before rising up into the sky. He wheeled around then flew towards the volcano, the night sky swallowing him up before finally, he disappeared from sight. Lowering my head I pressed my eyes shut, feeling a large gaping feeling within me. I knew I would have to let Charizard go, but now it felt all too soon.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and I looked around to see the hippie guy. "That was a real brave thing you did." He told me and I blinked up at him, feeling hot tears run down my cheeks as he gave a smile. "You might not be together, but that there was a friend for life. You'll see each other again." Nodding my head I put on a brave face then sucked in a deep breath.

"I think I need to go for a walk." I said and Ash stepped forwards.

"Hey Ruby, you sure you're okay? You want someone to come with you?" He asked but I shook my head.

"No, I think I need to be alone for a while." Pikachu scampered off from Ash's shoulder and leaped onto mine, nuzzling my face then looked at me with one of his ears pricked upwards, head tilted to the side.

"Pika Pika?" Giving a small smile I rubbed his head.

"It's okay Pikachu. I'll be fine." I promised, letting him nuzzle me one more time before he returned to Ash as I picked up Eevee then headed off into the streets, head bowed as I tried to pull myself out of my sadness.

Eevee snuggled against me, her soft fur soaking up my tears as I walked in the lit streets. Everything was quiet, not even a tweet of a Pidgey as I walked. It wasn't even cold, not with the heat from the hotsprings and the volcano so close by. I guess Charizard would be flying to one of the nearby islands where his family would be nesting to be reunited once more.

Although I was sad that he was gone, I guess I should be happy that he'll be reunited with his family. It's what he wanted, after all. With a soft sigh I sat down on a bench and looked up to the moon and stars, sighing softly. As long as Charizard is happy, then I guess that's all I could ask for.


	28. Chapter 28

When I returned to the inn, the hippie guy informed me that the others were relaxing in the hot spring so I decided to follow. Wrapped in only a towel, with Eevee trotting at my side, I entered the ladies' side of the hot spring and joined Misty as she relaxed. "Hey Ruby, are you okay?" She asked me, sitting up slightly in the water as I stepped inside.

"I'm fine." I assured her with a soft smile as Eevee jumped over to Togepi, splashing into the water then paddled over to her with a cheerful chirp. "Just needed a moment to clear my head." I said, sinking low into the water with a sigh. Instantly the warmth soaked into my body and I relaxed, the soothing sensation coming over every strain that had knotted up inside me.

"Well I can't figure it out." Ash announced glumly and I cracked an eye open to glance over to the wall where the boys rested on the other side.

"It's where a firefighter could never win. Where could that be?" Brock recited slowly and I tried to think but I was just too tired to even try. I'll figure it out tomorrow. Misty hummed quietly, looking down into the water.

"Where could a firefighter never win? Maybe somewhere there's not enough water?" She suggested, looking to me so I opened my eyes.

"Maybe a desert?" I suggested but then looked around or Eevee.

"Togepi?" Misty stood, unable to locate her little egg Pokémon. "What are you doing Togepi?" I looked over to see Eevee standing before the little Pokémon, trying to encourage her to step back away frm the Gyarados head spout, filling the spring with hot water from the volcano. "Togepi that water is boiling, get away from there!" Misty stood and tried to go over to Topepi but the little Pokémon leaped up onto statue, obviously wanting to play on it.

Eevee jumped up with worry but I caught her mid leap, bringing her close to me. "Be careful Eevee." I said to her as Togepi began to jump up and down on it. Suddenly the statue moved, lowering down into the water and I gasped, watching as Togepi blinked, trilling in confusion as slowly, the rock behind moved across, opening up to reveal a large gaping hole. The fence cracked under the pressure of the gate, crumbling until it disappeared altogether.

Blinking in shock I then looked at the boys, who stared at Misty and I…in the baths…in our towerls…and nothing else underneath. All together we yelled loudly, clenching out eyes shut as I did so, almost dropping Eevee in the process.

Misty and I ran back inside, collecting our Pokémon as we went. We changed into our clothes then joined the boys once more after they'd dressed as well. "I wonder where this goes." Brock pondered as we all stared at the entrance.

"We should check it out." Ash decided, heading forwards eagerly then ran into the gaping mouth.

"Hey Ash, wait up!" Misty called, racing after him with Togepi in her grip and I glanced to Brock, sighed then gave a shrug.

"You two! Don't get too far ahead!" I called.

"Yeah wait up!" Brock echoed and we ran after them both. We descended down the stairs, gradually getting lower and lower into the heart of the volcano. Misty puffed up her cheeks and fanned her face, as I felt the stifling heat begin to get to me. Eevee winced, hopping from paw to paw at the hot stone ground so I picked her up to keep her from burning herself.

"Is it just me or is it getting hot down here?" Misty questioned as a bead of sweat trickled down her face.

"Oh it's getting hot alright." Brock assured us and I exhaled deeply.

"I'm guessing we're heading straight into the volcano, which means the hot lava will be heating up the air around us." I told them in a babbling tone, not really knowing what I was saying.

"Ugh Ruby please, it's too hot for any science lectures." Ash groaned but then stopped short. "Hey it's a door!" He suddenly grinned and moved forwards but I just gave a shake of my head.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." I said to him as he reached out, but hey, he was way too far ahead of me to try and stop him. It was too much effort to move quickly in this sluggish heat and besides, maybe he'll learn this time. So when Ash reached out for the handle, he yelled in pain and whipped his hand back, shaking it out as his eyes bulged.

"WARGH! It's burning hot!" He yelled and I snorted before clapping him upside the head.

"Well done genius." I said to him then looked up as the doors began to open of their own accord. Wow, it was almost as if they had their own sense of humour. Sweet! We all looked inside with slow appreciative sounds, looking at the battle ground which hovered over a pit of boiling lava, which bubbled and writhed around and the temperature would have burst a thermometer should someone bring one down here.

"Blaine's gym!" Ash gasped, stepping forwards as Brock looked around with an impressed expression.

"No firefighter could ever win in this place."

"There sure isn't enough water to put out a volcano." Misty agreed and we all jumped slightly when the lights flashed on, shining down on us and across the stadium until they shone on the hippie dude, who looked at us calmly.

"So I guess you solved my riddle." He said and Ash suddenly frowned.

"Hey what are you doing here?" He demanded hotly and I slapped a hand to my face, groaning.

"Ash, can't you put two and two together?" I questioned and he scratched his head, thinking deeply whilst blinking stupidly.

"Uhh…" With exasperation I walloped him one so that he was floored to the ground.

"He's got to be the gym leader, Blaine." I translated simply and Blaine chuckled.

"It's not a hat but it keeps your head dry, if you wear it, it's because you've already lost it." He riddled and I looked hopefully to Ash as he picked himself up and pointed a finger upwards.

"An umbrella?" This time I dropped to the ground flat, almost crushing poor Eevee but she sprang free then turned to face me, blinking in surprise as I groaned on the ground. Was Ash really that slow?

"Vee?" Eevee licked my ear then nuzzled me up as Brock shot a look at Ash.

"An umbrella keeps your head dry but you don't wear it because you lost it." He explained and Ash gave a guilty expression with a laugh.

"Yeah I guess not." Picking Eevee up I stepped towards Misty and together, we answered the riddle at the same time.

"It's a wig!"

"What do you mean?" Ash asked so Misty explained in a cheerful voice.

"A wig isn't a hat but it keeps your head dry in the rain, and the only reason you'd wear a wig is if you've already lost your hair." Again I could imagine bells going off as Blaine lifted his finegr and triumphantly smiled to us.

"And the girls have done it again, wig is correct!" Suddenly he whipped off his glasses, false beard and hair to reveal and aging gentleman with short white hair around his head, balding at the top.

"It's a wig!" We all yelped, staring at the sudden transformation before us.

"That's right, I wear a wig because I'm really Blaine, the gym master!" He yelled across to us. Wow, his voice sure did change fast. "Now who wants to battle me three on three?"

"I will!" Ash instantly yelled back, stepping forwards.

"Careful, he must raise some awesome fire Pokémon in this volcano." Brock whispered to Ash and Misty nodded her head.

"Use your water Pokémon Ash."

"I know that." Blaine shouted across to us and we all looked up at him.

"I've already selected my first Pokémon, Ninetales go!" Suddenly a beautiful pale cream furred fox Pokémon appeared out of its Pokéball, the sweeping tails arching back so it sat elegantly before its trainer, ready to fight.

"Ninetales, the fox Pokémon." Dexter recited easily as Ash listened. "Is the evolved form of the fire Pokémon Vulpix." Ash smiled then looked up.

"I knew he'd choose a fire type. Go Squir-"

"Hold it Ash!" I called and he froze in place, turning to look at me.

"Huh?"

"You've got to think this through first. Sure, your water Pokémon Squirtle is a good choice, however his water attacks would be more effective on a more flame orientated Pokémon." I said to him diplomatically as I hugged Eevee to me. "Although Ninetales is a powerful fire type Pokémon, you'd be better off using a Pokémon that could utilise speed and evasiveness against its attacks. I think you'd be better off using Pikachu, who will be faster and still be able to do pretty decent damage with its electric attack." Ash blinked then looked down at Pikachu, who clenched his fists and smiled determinedly, red cheeks crackling with energy.

"Pika Pika." He nodded his head then walked up to Ash, waiting for his order.

"Right…okay…yeah! That's great advice Ruby, thanks! Okay Pikachu, let's go!"

"Pika Pi!" Pikachu bounded out onto the ground, holding himself proudly as he glared over to Ninetales, who sat prettily, awaiting its direction. Oh it was so beautiful, I just want to go over there and hug it!

"So you've chosen an electric type. How interesting. Let's start things off with Fire Spin!" Blaine suddenly yelled and the three of us all gasped.

"Fire Spin is Ninetales's most powerful attack!" Brock explained to us as Ninetales opened its mouth and a large plume of twisting flames flew out and head straight for Pikachu.

"Quick Pikachu, use Agility to dodge it!" Ash yelled and I exhaled as Pikachu began to glow around the edges of his fur a slight bluish colour, dashing away from the fire attack and his body dashed around the gym stadium, even circling Ninetales a few times and it struggled to keep track of little Pikachu.

"Ninetales, use Flamethrower!" Blaine called so Ash yelled to Pikachu as he stopped, standing still on all fours before Ash.

"Leap to the side Pikachu but stay on the ground so it's easier to dodge, then follow up with Thunderbolt!" He directed and I smiled slightly, impressed with his cunning. Pikachu answered with approval then darted out the way as another smaller jet of flames streaked towards him, which he easily dodged then charged towards Ninetales, body crackling with electricity.

As the battle began to escalate in intensity I scribbled down notes on the fire type Pokémon Ninetales, noticing its graceful yet powerful movements and attacks but how unpredictable the hits were. If the target was fast enough then barely any of the fire attacks even came close to Pikachu, who suddenly leaped up into the air and tensed his little body.

"Pika…CHUUUUU!" A bolt of electricity shot out from him and struck Nintales, making it rear back and cry out from the strike but as it fell to its knees, Pikachu stopped and landed on the gorund, panting for breath.

"You'd better finish this fast." I said to Ash. "Pikachu won't last much longer out there." Ash nodded his head to me then turned back to the fight just as Blaine gave an order.

"Alright Ninetales, use Flame Charge!" Suddenly Ninetales's body lit up with flames, dancing over its body as it then ran forwards, racing towards Pikachu who gasped, staring at the bright flash of flame without even thinking about moving as it came closer and closer.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled with worry, watching as his beloved companion was struck with the powerful hit, sending him flying across the gym high into the air. "Now! Use Thunderbolt one last time!" Ash yelled, noticing how Pikachu was still fairly orientated so the little Pokémon tensed up his body and yelled out his name, a large strike of electricity flying from him and hitting Ninetales, making it tense and crumble to the ground, going limp as its body then shimmered with fine static, signalling it was now paralysed. "Okay! Now let's finish this Pikachu before Ninetales recovers. Use Slam!" Pikachu rushed forwards, his body powering speedily before slamming into Ninetales as it tried to get up, knocked it down for the last time.

"Ninetales is unable to battle! The winner is Ash!" Brock declared and we all cheered.

"Alright, go Ash!" Misty and I cheered.

"Vee!" Eevee swished her tail and I giggled.

"You're so cute." Hugging her to me she rubbed into my chin before we both looked back to the fight where Blaine had returned his Ninetales.

"So you've beaten my first, let's see how you manage this next Pokémon. Go Rhydon!" Ash turned to Pikachu and smiled warmly as the Pokémon appeared. A massive drilling Pokémon with a horn on the end of its nose, towering tall and I gasped at its size.

"Rhydon, the evolved form of Rhyhorn. It is known as the drill Pokémon. It's large horn gives it formidable attack power." I heard Dexter say and Ash listened before kneeling down to be more of Pikachu's height, wearing a happy expression.

"You take a break buddy, that was an awesome battle!" Ash praised and Pikachu nodded his head.

"Pikachu." He ran back to Ash then climbed up to his shoulder, settling there as Ash picked up his next choice of Pokémon.

"Now it's time to fight fire with fire. Go Charizard!" Instantly I groaned. This is not going to end well. Charizard came out of his Pokéball with a roar, landing heavily on the ground. I crossed my fingers and my toes, hoping that Charizard was in a battling mood today but unfortunately, he started to yawn.

"Please Charizard I'm begging you, please battle!" However Charizard continued to ignore Ash, making us all give embarrassed faces for Ash as he dropped to the ground in defeat, Charizard scratching his neck with his foot.

"That's embarrassing." Brock muttered and Pikachu sighed in agreement, ears going flat.

"Pika…"

"Vee…"

"Toge-pi!" Togepi shook its little head as I watched Blaine give a little smirk before sending his Rhydon out for the attack.

"Rhydon, Horn Drill!" Rhydon growled lowly, its horn suddenly spinning around and it charged towards Charizard who looked perfectly at ease. Before Rhydon could even get close, Charizard lifted up into the air and flew out of the arena, landing lazily on a large slab of stone to take a nap.

"Aw give me a break Charizard!" I began to scribble down a new note in my diary, how it seems in comparison to my own Charizard and Ash's, mine seems to be more responding to my commands possibly due to the amount of playtime I factored into his life, which may then be the reason why in its final evolution stage, we were much closer. I'll need to test this theory out for future reference.

"Charizard has left the arena, Ryhdon is the winner!" This time Blaine declared and Ash grit his teeth, glaring slightly before grabbing his next Pokéball.

"Go Squirtle, I choose you!" He yelled and the cute turtle Pokémon popped out of his Pokéball, jumping to the ground then glared towards the Rhydon, unfased by its massive size. Blaine laughed, which seemed to irritate Squirtle further as it began to growl.

"Squirtle Squirt."

"Alright Squirtle, let's show them how powerful you are, use Water Gun!" Ash yelled and I sighed. Predictable. I may not be a trainer anymore but that doesn't mean I just suddenly forgot the three hundred and forty seven editions of Pokémon magazines I had practically inhaled to learn all of its contents about Pokémon and being a trainer.

In one of the articles I remember it saying that although type advantage may be effective, it's important that you balance out the experience level with your opponent. Squirtle had spunk but Ash hadn't been doing a lot of training with it, and this was some high level Pokémon Blaine was raising here.

I just hope everything turns out alright. Taking a deep breath I watched as Squirtle sucked in a deep breath then spat out a funnel of water, hitting the Rhydon in the belly and it flinched away from the attack, growling as Blaine flung his hand forwards.

"Rhydon, use Earthquake!"

"Squirtle, Rapid Spin to avoid most of the damage, then hit with Bubblebeam!" Ash called and Squirtle leaped into the air, calling out proudly with its name then tucked itself up into its shell, spinning rapidly as it shot towards Rhydon, who stomped the ground and it began to tremble, quivering as rocks around us began to split and crumble. Eevee whimpered so I turned her around to snuggle her head into my neck, keeping her comforted as I watched Squirtle hurtle towards Rhydon. "Okay, now use that Bubblebeam!" Ash shouted out and Squirtle's body appeared.

"Squirtle!" He cheered and I grinned as he blew a thick stream of bubbles at Rhydon, hitting it in the face squarely. I watched as Rhydon trembled under the attack slightly, however he got back up and answered Blaine's order.

"Horn Drill!" Rhydon charged forwards with a growl, making Squirtle blink then gasp as he was suddenly hit in the shell, tossing him backwards through the air with a cry of shock.

"Squirtle!" Ash called, jaw dropping open as Squirtle hit the ground then rocked on his shell, groaning from the powerful hit. "Squirtle are you okay? Talk to me!"

"Squirtle…" Squirtle groaned, closing his eyes and going faint so Ash returned him to his Pokéball.

"It's okay Squirtle, you did really great out there. You take a good rest." Looking up at the Rhydon Ash growled, noticing how Blaine was smirking.

"Give up little boy?" He taunted but Ash merely looked down at Pikachu.

"You ready for another round Pikachu?" Nodding his head affirmitavely, Pikachu darted forwards, springing from stone to stone to leap back into the arena.

"Pika…Pika Pi." He muttered under his breath, cheeks sparking with electricity as he faced down the Rhydon. I was a little worried. Pikachu had a type disadvantage with Rhydon, being a strong rock type Pokémon, however I saw Ash's expression, one wrought with determination and cunning. He had a plan.

"Okay Pikachu, this won't be easy but I know we can do it. Together!" Ash called forward to Pikachu who nodded his head.

"Pika Pi!" Sucking in a deep breath Ash yanked his cap around, twisting it to sit the other way on his head before pointing to the Rhydon.

"Alright! Let's kick this off with Thunderbolt!" Shaking my head I watched as Pikachu sent the electric attack forwards, hitting the Rhydon in the belly who suddenly began to laugh and scratch its belly as if it were being tickled by the attack rather than damaged by it.

"Ha! Your electric attacks won't do any damage to my Rhydon!" Blaine crowed but Ash shook his head.

"Pikachu the horn! The horn!" Pikachu blinked then looked up to the horn, staring at it before it suddenly clicked.

"Pika!" Leaping forwards Pikachu jumped into the air, rising up as his entire body crackled with energy. "Pika…CHUUUUU!" The light flashed before my eyes, so bright that I had to look away as Pikachu struck Rhydon's horn with a Thunderbolt attack, the horn acting like a lightning rod.

"Amazing, the horn is conducting Pikachu's electric attack!" Brock gasped and I made the note in my pad, shifting Eevee onto my shoulder as she watched Pikachu in awe, wriggling slightly on my shoulder in anticipation.

Rhydon dropped to the ground, finished from the powerful strike that Pikachu had landed. "Yeah! Go Ash and Pikachu!" I cheered, fist bumping the air in celebration as Ash laughed.

"Great job Pikachu!"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu beamed, looking back over his shoulder to us as Blaine returned his Pokémon.

"Excellent strategy, you really are something of a trainer." Blaine complimented but then smirked knowingly. "But I think this next Pokémon will be too hot for even you to handle. I think you'll like it, little boy, as it turns all its opponents into ash!" Suddenly Ash gripped his head, clawing at it whilst groaning.

"Argh it's too hot for riddles!" He complained as Blaine spread his hands out.

"I choose…Magmar!" Suddenly the lava pooling around us began to writhe, bubbling as something stirred beneath it. Without warning a curtain of the hot inferno rose up, startling everyone into an awed gasp as a shadow slowly appeared from within.

It appeared when the wall of lava dropped back down, revealing a completely new Pokémon which I had never seen before, although I had a pretty good idea about what it was. "Magmar, the spitfire Pokémon. Its body is like a furnace, making Magmar a living inferno. It has been discovered only near active volcanoes." Dexter supplied, confirming my suspicions.

"Ash, Magmar is a really powerful fire type Pokémon. You need to think about this carefully." I whispered to him with worry. He turned back and gave me a thumbs up and a confident smile.

"Don't worry, Pikachu can handle anything!" He assured me then turned back. "Your Pokémon doesn't scare us, right Pikacu?"

"Pika!" He agreed, sparks jumping from the red sacks on its cheeks.

"Alright then Pikachu, let's do this! Thunderbolt!" Ash directed and Pikachu instantly darted forwards to get closer.

"Magmar, use Fire Punch!" Blaine countered and Magmar moved forwards, fist igniting with a flame which he began to launch repeatedly at Pikachu who quickly began to dodge the attacks on his approached, bounding this way and that as my heart began to quicken its pace with worry.

"You're too quick for it Pikachu!" Ash crowed but of course, he spoke way too soon. A punch grazed Pikachu's cheek, singing his fur and launching him backwards with a squeal of pain.

"Oh no!" Both Misty and I gasped, watching as Pikachu panted for breath, already exhausted from the fights before.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled as his companion started to get up. "Are you alright?"

"Pika Pi…" Pikachu answered, shaking out his head then clenched his fists. "Pika…CHUUUU!" A powerful bolt of electricity shot towards Magmar, tunnelling through the air but Magmar lifted its arm, smirking slightly as its body radiated with a blaze, the electricity hitting the Pokémon but then disappeared.

"Amazing, Magmar is heating the air around it to a super high temperature which then refracts Pikachu electric attacks." Brock breathed in admiration as I turned to look at Pikachu.

"So Pikachu can't attack with any electric attacks, will get burned if he so much as touches Magmar and is already tired out from the last two battles. This is not good." I sumerised simply before shaking my head. "Maybe Ash should pull out now?"

"Vee." Eevee agreed, placing her paws on my hat to lift herself up and see better overe its brim.

"Magmar, use Fire Blast!" Instantly everyone gasped, eyes widening in fear.

"Fire Blast is a fire type's most powerful attack!" Brock called out and Ash instantly turned to Pikachu.

"Pikachu duck for cover!" He shouted and Pikachu hit the deck as the fire symbol shot towards him, burning bright and hot only to swallow him up completely. When the fire struck the wall of the cavern, Pikachu was gone from sight. "Pikachu!" Ash yelled and we heard his little voice calling out.

"Pika!" Pikachu dangled over the side, barely hanging on and Eevee instantly jumped down from my shoulder and leaped onto the stepping stones to get to the arena.

"No Eevee! Come back!" I yelled but she was already gone, bounding over to Pikachu who kicked and struggled, trying to pull himself back up.

"Vee! Vee! Vee!" Eevee called with each leap, jumping over to Pikachu then reached down a paw, letting Pikachu grip on as Ash and I stood rooted to the spot, unsure of what to do. "Vee…Vee!"

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu answered and slowly, he began to rise up over the side. Instantly both Ash and I sighed in relief as Pikachu stood upright then threw his arms around Eevee, hugging her as she nuzzled into his cheek.

"Ah that's so cute…" I murmured, looking at the two of them as they reunited after the terrifying accident. Suddenly Pikachu broke away abound bounded back to face Magmar, making Blaine laugh as Eevee ran back to me. I picked her up and cuddled her in my arms, glad that she was okay and praised her quietly for being so brave.

"Your Pikachu doesn't know when to give up." Suddenly Ash ran forwards, leaping onto the stones then sprung onto the arena, calling out to his Pokémon friend.

"Forget it Pikachu!" He said then looked down to him with his hands spread. "It's…it's not worth it. I quit! No badge is worth losing Pikachu." I smiled proudly at Ash as he forfeighted the match and picked up Pikachu into his arms, being careful of the burns there.

"I commend you on your wise decision Ash. Just in time." Blaine said then pulled out his wig and glasses, fixing them both back on. "If you had been foolish enough to continue the match then you definitely would have been disqualified as a Pokémon Trainer!" He said then began walking away. "Your Pikachu needs rest. The hot springs will help it recover from its injuries."

"Hey wait a moment hold on Blaine, where're you going? You've got to give me another chance." Ash said, making Blaine pause at the door.

"We may battle again. Someday." He answered ambiguously before leaving. Ash looked down at Pikachu as we made our way over, each of us stepping from stone to stone as he sighed.

"I'm sorry Pikachu, it's all my fault we lost." He said and Pikachu blinked at him, flattening his ears.

"Pika…."

"But I'm not leaving Cinnabar Island until I beat Blaine and Magmar and get that badge!" He declared as we got to his side.

"Alright mister, we'll focus on the badge later. Right now I need to administer this Burn Heal to Pikachu, he's pretty crispy on the edges." I said, pulling the spray out of my bag then squirted it a couple of times onto the affected areas, letting it soak in and work its magic as Pikachu sighed.

"Chuuuu…" We took him back up to the hot springs where Ash gave him a long bath, washing a special soap into his fur which was both soothing and relaxing for the tired Pokémon.

"I just don't get it, we were doing so great." Ash said suddenly, frowning in deep concentration. "First Charizard doesn't obey me and Squirtle got knocked out in one hit, what did I do wrong?" He asked, looking at the three of us.

"Well you have to remember Ash that battling is not just about type advantage." Brock said. "Experience and strategy is very important when you want to win." I nodded my head with Misty, signalling our agreement.

"Plus I think you spend more time with Pikachu than you do with any of your other Pokémon." I added and he blinked at me. "The stronger your bond with your Pokémon, the stronger they are too. The difference between your Charizard and mine is because I earned its respect and we ended up great friends." Ash gave me a dark look then looked away.

"Yeah, but your Charizard still chose to leave you didn't it?" I blinked, shocked at Ash's bitter tone and the bluntness of his words. Misty and Brock blinked in surprise, staring at him in horror.

"Ash! That was totally unfair." Misty said to Ash. "Ruby and Charizard may have parted ways but their relationship still remains strong, which is more important than anything." Ash looked down, looking ashamed of himself.

"I'm sorry Ruby, I didn't really mean it." I sucked in a deep breath then nodded my head.

"It's okay. I get it. Besides, what do I know anyway? I'm just a kid who gave up being a trainer because she couldn't keep up." Turning I walked away, Eevee blinking from her seat beside Pikachu to race after me.

"Vee! Vee!" So I picked her up and held her rather loosely in my arms and not matter how much she nuzzled and whine at me, I couldn't get Ash's words out of my head. He was right, Charizard did still choose to leave me. I guess I wasn't a good a trainer as I thought I was.

"You know Eevee, sometimes I wonder why I even stepped out of my own door." I sighed, looking down at her sadly. "As much as I hate to admit it, Gary was right. I am a loser and I gave up being a trainer because I was scared that I couldn't make it as far as I wanted to go." Shaking her head Eevee pressed a paw to my face.

"Vee Vee." Sitting down on a bench that overlooked the city of Cinnabar Island, I sighed.

"Maybe I should just go home." Suddenly two of my Pokéballs burst open and both Pidgeotto and Dratini appeared, looking up at me with large eyes. Dratini chimed softly in her magical voice then snuggled close to me, making me smile as Pidgeotto put her wing around my shoulders. I sucked in t a deep breath as Eevee curled up in my lap and nuzzled into me, both she and Dratini snuggling up together and tears rose to my eyes. They'd come out of their Pokéballs to comfort me. Choking down my tears I smiled. "Thanks guys."

"Pidgeo." Pidgeotto rubbed her head against mine, assuring me that everything was alright as Eevee and Dratini fell asleep on my lap.

"I think I need to start battling again, you guys haven't had a proper workout in a while now." I said to them softly, not wanting to disturb the cute little Pokémon in my lap. "I'll ask Ash if he wants to do some serious training, that way we can help each other out." Pidgeotto nodded her head then looked up to the sky where the stars all gleamed effortlessly.


	29. Chapter 29

The next thing I was aware of was bubbles popping in my face. "Huh?" I blinked, startled slightly by the burst of moisture which splattered my skin then blinked myself awake, opening my eyes to find myself looking at a Wartortle. "Hey! It's you!" I smiled, making everyone jerk awake at my sudden volume change.

"Vee?" Eevee lifted her head and looked at the Wartortle who beamed at me.

"Wartortle!" It waved its arms up in the air then turned to face its trainer, who instantly made my smile drop.

"Oh, it's you." Groaning I sat up, Pidgeotto ruffling her feathers before turning to look at Gary who was leaning against the fence with his arms folded across his chest, watching me quietly with a little smirk on his lips.

"So you're finally awake. Couldn't find anywhere more comfortable to sleep than that bench?" He questioned snobbishly so I glared at him, hugging Dratini and Eevee to me protectively.

"Yes, I just felt the need for a walk, so I came out here but must have fallen asleep." I retorted, standing up but I instantly groaned, going all light headed and fell right back down again. Gary made to move forwards but stopped himself when he saw I had managed to fall back into a sitting position.

"So the earthquake didn't wake you?" I blinked up at him in confusion.

"There was an earthquake?" Had I really slept through it? Or was Gary just pulling on my strings? However he nodded his head.

"There was a disturbance with the volcano, everyone thought it was going to erupt but nothing happened, so people are just saying it must have been an earthquake." He informed me but then I felt a soft tug on my shirt so I looked down at the Wartortle.

"Wartortle, Tortle Tort!" I smiled down at him.

"I know, I must have been really tired to have slept through it." I agreed with him. Suddenly Pidgeotto lifted her head, tensing beside me as her head twitched from side to side, listening for something. "Pidgeotto? What's the matter?" I asked her and she flapped her wings, lifting herself up into the sky.

"Pidgeo!" She waited for me to get the message, listening to me intently.

"Okay I'm coming, show me what's wrong." I called up to her, standing up and put Dratini and Eevee onto my shoulders before grabbing Gary's wrist. "Come on! Let's go see what she's heard!" Gary yelped as I dragged him forwards, running after Pidgeotto as she flew down the path of the cliff.

After a moment I let go of Gary's wrist, satisfied that he and Wartortle were following. "Where are we going?" He asked, puffing slightly at the fast pace I put him through.

"I don't know, but Pidgeotto seems worried about something." Sure enough Pidgeotto was flying pretty fast, darting this way and that as she followed what she could hear.

"Vee!" Eevee stood up straight on my shoulder, her ears twitching towards the sound of a Pokémon calling out in distress, my own hearing managing to pick it up now.

"Can you hear that?" I asked, looking back over my shoulder and Gary nodded his head. Pidgeotto suddenly stopped and I saw a young woman with bright yellow hair standing at the cliff edge, leaning over as she called out with worry.

"Don't worry Belle, I'll get you up somehow!" She cried out then looked up when she heard us coming. "Oh! Please help me! My Bellsprout is down there, I can't get her back up!" I gripped the railings and looked over the side with Gary, seeing a Bellsprout gripping onto a small root that jutted out of the earth by its twin leafs hands, scrabbling with its roots to try and get back up. The woman sobbed, clutching her hands to her heart. "My brave little Belle tried to get my handbag after I dropped it! Please, you have to get her back for me, I don't care about anything else!"

"Don't worry, we'll get Belle back for you." I smiled to her. "Just remain calm, if you panic then your Pokémon will pick up on your emotions. The best you can do for it now is to try and give it encouragement and calm it down." Turning to Gary as the woman sucked in a deep breath to calm herself down. "Pidgeotto can't get there, it's too shrouded with tree branches. How about your Fearow? It has a longer neck and might be able to reach."

"I don't have it with me." He admitted, scratching his head as he blushed. "I swapped it out for a different Pokémon so I could train it up." I frowned in thought, looking over again at the Bellsprout as it began to lose grip.

"Vee! Vee Vee!" Eevee called down, Dratini sat on her back.

"Driiiii!" The woman leaned over the side and put on her best smile.

"It's alright now Belle, you see? There are two lovely young trainers here to help us. Everything is going to be alright." The Bellsprout stopped struggling and I watched with fascination at the trust between trainer and Pokémon as Belle looked up at the woman with sparkly eyes.

"Bellsprout, Bellsprout."

"Okay, if you tell Belle to use Vine Whip, we can catch the vines and pull it up." I suggested but the woman shook her head.

"My little Belle is still very young, she doesn't know how to use Vine Whip!" Oh great, just typical. "No!" She suddenly shrieked, gripping onto the railings as Belle lost grip with one of its leaves. "No Belle! Hold on Belle!" Back in panic mode, the woman had to be pulled back by Gary to keep her from falling over the edge. Swallowing I thought quickly.

"Pidgeotto, get ready to catch!" I yelled up then gripped the railings with one hand and swung myself over in a fluid motion.

"Ruby!" Gary called, lunging forwards to try and catch me but I was already skidding down the steep slope as if I were surfing. Eevee and Dratini called in fear, sticking their heads over as I continued downwards, branches scratching at my arms but I knocked them out the way.

"Belle, let go and jump!" I directed to the Bellsprout, who looked up at me with wide eyes. "Jump!" It still remained frozen in shock. "You have to jump!" But as I reached it, its little leaf lost grip of the root and it tumbled downwards.

The woman above screamed but I dived forwards, hands streatching towards the Bellsprout as it cried out in fear, tumbling over its head but thankfully its light frame meant that the wind carried it easily.

My hands snagged its body and I pulled it close, tucking myself in then called out. "Now Pidgeotto!" Talons dug into my backpack and powerful wings flapped, lifting us up into the air as the ground had rushed to us.

"Bellsprout?" I looked down at the little grass Pokémon and smiled.

"I got you." I assured it then looked up at Pidgeotto as she carried us back to the cliff. "Nice catch Pidgeotto." You see? Those games weren't all for nothing. Pidgeotto soared through the sky and swept back down to the path, letting me go to drop back down and I held out the Bellsprout as the woman raced forwards.

"Oh thank you! Thank you so much! Belle I'm so glad you're safe!"

"Bellsprout." It chirped then lifted one of its root legs to reveal a small purple purse which made the woman laugh.

"You clever girl." I smiled, lifting my arm and holding it at an angle for Pidgeotto to land there so that I could fuss over her for a moment.

"Good job." I winked at her as Eevee came running over to me, Dratini on her back.

"Vee! Vee! Vee!"

"Driiiii!" I laughed, kneeling down and holding out my other hand to pet them both, assuring them I was okay.

"Were you worried about me? You shouldn't have been, you know I do crazy things all the time." I teased and Eevee head butt me to tell me off.

"Vee!" Laughing still I tickled her chin and belly as she rolled over, kicking up her legs as Dratini rubbed against my leg, making me giggle and stroke her too to let her know I appreciated her concern. Pidgeotto flew off my arm and hopped to the ground, chirping softly as Wartortle came toddling over the flung his arms around me.

"Oh! Why thank you Wartortle. It's to know that _some_ people care." I shot a pointed look to Gary who rolled his eyes.

"I knew you had it all under control." He answered simply, waving his hand dismissively as the woman approached us.

"I can't thank you kids enough. Belle means everything to me. Here, you two deserve a reward." I frowned.

"No, no that's not necessary, thank you, we just wanted to help. Besides. _He_ didn't do anything." The woman giggled as she fished out two necklaces, though they were both exactly the same. They had extremely fine chains and they had a tiny water droplet gem, which almost glowed in the light as she smiled.

"These are Mystic Waters, they boost the attack of water type Pokémon. I got these for my birthday last month by my evil step cousins, so you'd honestly be doing me a favour taking them away. I only really like grass type Pokémon so I have no use for these." She winked at me. "You'll find great use for them, I'm sure." I took mine hesitantly, admiring it in silence before turning a broad smile to the woman.

"Thank you so much." I said to her. "They're beautiful."

"Yeah, thanks a lot." Gary said with a nod of his head then looked down at Wartortle who looked at the Mystic Water then turned his head away snottily.

"Wartortle." I giggled and shook my head.

"Not your style, huh?" I quiried as the Bellsprout flapped its leaf hands and called out to us.

"Bellsprout! Bellsprout! Bellsprout!" Smiling I watched as Eevee bounced around him, Dratini circling around and around them both also, her voice echoing softly as they all played and Pidgeotto watched them all calmly, making sure none got too close to the edge of the cliff. I carefully placed the Mystic Water into my bag, glancing to Eevee as I put it next to the Water Stone. Maybe one day, if she wanted to.

"Well, I should really be on my way, I have a train to catch!" The woman laughed, picking up her Bellsprout. "Buh bye now! Take care you two, you make such an adorable couple!" She called back over her shoulder as she walked away. Instantly we both pretended to vomit, turning away from one another.

"Gross!" I shivered in disgust at the thought. Shooting a look at Gary I picked up two of the Pokéballs. "Come on guys, time to return. We'll play later I promise, I saw a park on the way up here we can check out." I said to them and Dratini bounced up into the air, smiling excitedly as she returned to her Pokéball.

"Pidgeo!" Pidgeotto nodded her noble head then disappeared into her Pokéball too, leaving me to scoop up Eevee and settle her on my shoulder.

"Okay Wartortle, return." Gary said and the Wartortle waved at me one last time before he too went back to have a rest. I glared at Gary for a moment before turning away.

"See you around Gary." I said as I began to hike back up the mountain to the Riddle Inn.

"Don't fall off any more cliffs. I might not be around to save you next time!" He called back but I ignored him, continuing the climb so that I could get back and get some sleep in a proper bed like I so desperately needed. My back was aching and my neck wasn't doing much better either.

When I got inside, however, I was surprised to find everyone already up. Was it already that late in the morning? "Ruby!" Ash yelled, bounding over with Pikachu on his shoulder. "You'll never guess what, I got my Volcano Badge!" I blinked as a little badge was shoved into my face, making my eyes cross as I tried to see it properly.

"Oh!" I blinked, staring at it then frowned. "How?" Misty and Brock stepped forwards, smiling casually.

"Well Team Rocket turned up to try and capture Magmar by shooting freeze blasting rockets all over the volcano chamber, which then caused the chamber to start collapsing." Brock began to explain as Ash danced around the room. "The lava started to rise through the cracks but then Blaine's Magmar started to throw in rocks to try block up the lava flow." He then explained about how all the Pokémon had worked together, including Ash's Charizard to stop the lava and then he told me about the battle.

"Wow, that's pretty neat Ash." I said to him with a smile. "Congratulations." Suddenly he stopped and turned around to face me, a guilty look on his features as he hung his head and pulled his cap down to hide his eyes.

"Ruby, I'm really sorry about what I said yesterday." He told me sincerely and I looked at him has he slowly lifted his eyes to meet mine. "What I did was wrong and I'll make it up to you, I promise. Please forgive me?" I paused, thinking for a moment before glancing up to Eevee.

"Vee!" She beamed, nodding her head so I gave a short laugh.

"Alright you bonehead, I'll forgive you." And to prove it I smacked him on the back of his head, sending him to the floor as Pikachu leaped up and landed on my shoulder, avoiding being grounded as I laughed.

"Pika Pika!"

"Come on!" I suddenly yelped, grabbing Misty and Brock's wrist to pull them towards the door.

"What's the hurry Ruby? Where're we going?" Misty asked as Ash scrambled to leap to his feet and raced after us as I managed to pull everyone quickly out the door.

"Hey wait for me!" Ash yelled as he and Pikachu raced after us.

"Pika Pika!"

"Ruby, where are you taking us?" I turned to Brock with a bright smile, winking as I gave him a victory sign with my fingers.

"We are going to the Pokémon Research Lab for a super exclusive private tour that I managed to arrange just for us!" I revealed, practically bouncing on my feet, eager to get going as everyone's mouthsh dropped open. "So come on and let's go! The earlier we get there, the more we can see!"

All of us smiling we raced for the city and the research lab, anticipating all the amazing and interesting things we were going to learn about today. The moment we got to reception, I gave the lady our names though it was the same woman as before and she recognised me. Or at least my cool hat and red neckerchief.

"Good morning! My, you're all up early. Excited for today?" She asked as she handed out our visiting passes.

"Sure! We can't wait to see all the Pokémon you're studying here." Ash said to her, slipping his pass around his neck then looked to Pikachu. "Right Pikachu?"

"Pikachu." He nodded his head as I picked up Eevee to keep her close just in case she tries to run off. I don't want to lose her in this place, it would take forever to find her again.

"Ah! You must be the infamous Ruby." A voice said and I turned to see a handsome boy a little older than us walking forwards, smiling at me and I instantly blushed. His messy brown hair was pulled back in an attempt to tame it, blue eyes shining brightly as he smiled warmly. "Hi, I'm Kyle. My grandfather is the man you brought the Old Amber to, so I'm Kyle Dawson." I stuck out my hand and smiled with a slight blush.

"Hey, I'm Ruby. It's really nice to meet you." I said, continuing to shake his hand and completely forgetting about everyone else beside me. After a few moments Brock gave a little cough and I startled myself out of my daze, laughing awkwardly. "Oh! Right. This is Ash, Misty and Brock my friends and our Pokémon Pikachu and Eevee." I introduced, letting go of his hand to step back and introduce everyone.

"Hi, it's great to meet you." Misty smiled and waved as everyone did the same.

"Hey, do you raise lots of Pokémon here?" Ash asked as Brock said hello as well. I exhaled and shook my head despairingly at Ash's hopeful expression.

"No Ash, they only study mushrooms." I answered and he groaned, dropping to the ground.

"But I want to see Pokémon!" Thrusting out a hand I grabbed Ash by the scruff of his jacket and hoisted him back to his feet, though I began to shake him violently as I glared.

"Of course they have Pokémon here! It's a Pokémon Research Lab! Don't you have any brain up there in that thick skull of yours?" I yelled in his ear as he cried out from my forceful shoving. I then quickly dropped him, giving a small guilty laugh as Ash crashed to the floor again as I looked at Kyle. "Sorry about that. He's not too smart."

"Hey I'm plenty smart!" Ash argued back, leaping to his feet as he glared at me. Arching an eyebrow I turned my head then smirked secretly.

"So says the boy who doesn't even have his pants zipped up."

"Huh?! Wargh!" Ash spun around and quickly zipped himself up with a deep blush. Kyle arched an eyebrow then chuckled quietly, making my eyes sparkle at the sound.

"So come on, let's get this tour started!" Kyle said and he turned to lead the way, so I chased after him.

"So what kind of things do you study here?" I asked.

"Here at the Cinnabar Island Pokémon Lab we dedicate all our research to learning how Pokémon evolve and studying them and their behaviours. We also research fossilised Pokémon and study how they become the way they are, how we can revive them and how long ago they existed. It's all fascinating work and I help my grandfather look after the Pokémon." Kyle explained as he led us into an elevator.

"What types of Pokémon do you study here?" Brock questioned curiously. "And what sort of diets do you put the Pokémon on?" I sighed slowly, looking at Kyle as he talked about all the Pokémon. There were fighting types, grass types, water types, normal types, fire types and all other types you can think of. The way Kyle talked about them you can very well imagine how he seemed to live and _breathe_ Pokémon. He loved them!

First we went to see the fighting type Pokémon, who had been moved to a different location for the time being, however the moment we entered, they all raced forwards like a stampede of Tauros and tackled us to the ground, only to lift us up into the air and paraded around with all of us up in the air.

I couldn't stop laughing, looking to Eevee as she too was lifted up though I held onto her paw as precaution. That day we spent all our time with Pokémon, learning everything there was to know about them and I scribbled thousands of notes in my little notepad, eager to get down everything Kyle said but there was still so much more to learn, I would need another notepad at this rate!

Later in the afternoon Kyle got a call from his grandfather, informing him that the process for reviving the Aerodactyl was almost complete. "He says it will take just a few more hours before the revival is complete." Kyle informed, smiling broadly and I sighed dreamily. I adore those little dimples…huh? Snap out of it Ruby! "Will you guys still be around to pick it up?"

"Unfortunately no, we'd better hurry if we want to catch our boat out of here." Misty said though she was smiling as she did so. "This has been really amazing and I loved learning about the water Pokémon, some of the things you told me I never even knew before!" Kyle nodded his head.

"We're still learning ourselves so we'll continue to observe the Pokémon but so much still remains a mystery. I can't wait to find out all I can about Pokémon, which is why I work here day and night alongside my family." A wide beam spread across his face. "It's just a shame, if you could stay another couple of days, I could show and tell you so much more." Maybe…maybe that's not such a bad idea. I need to learn as much as I can about Pokémon and I'm in the perfect place to do this. Maybe I should stay?

"Thanks again for the tour, we had great fun." Ash said as he laughed. "But we better hurry, come on guys!" He turned and began to run but I stayed rooted to the spot, still deep in thought. If I stayed then I could continue my own research into Pokémon however if I did stay, that meant I'd be split up from the gang again and miss out on more adventures. What should I do?

"Ruby? Are you coming?" Misty asked and I turned to look at her, my eyes shining slightly as I smiled and shook my head.

"No, I'd better stay here so I can pick up the Areodactyl, and there's so much more I want to learn about the Pokémon here in the lab. This is a great opportunity to get some real study into the Pokémon for my future aims, I can't let this slip by me." Misty reached out a hand and grabbed Ash as he raced past, stopping him in his tracks then pulled him back over to me.

"Hey let me go! I gotta go win my last gym badge! Misty!"

"Oh button the beak and say goodbye to Ruby." Misty answered shortly, swinging him around so that he faced me and I giggled quietly.

"Huh? You're leaving." With a soft sigh I smiled and shook my head.

"No Ash, _you're_ the one who's leaving. I'm staying here to do more research on the Pokémon." I explained to him as I put Eevee down so that I could give him a big hug. I flung my arms around his neck and held on tightly, still smiling. "But you work super hard for me okay? Remember that if you want to get your Pokémon stronger you have to train and play with them every day, and please don't do anymore stupid things whilst I'm gone, I don't think Misty will be able to handle it all by herself without me there to slap some sense into you." Ash laughed and put his arms around me, hugging me around the waist.

"I will I promise. I'll become a great trainer!" He vowed but then his face became serious. "But you will still come and see me battle in the Pokémon League won't you?" I pulled back and winked at him, sticking up my fingers in a victory sign.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world. Just try to keep me away Ash Ketchum!" I declared then hugged Brock.

"You take care and make sure you learn plenty. I'll be waiting to compare notes with you when you get back." Nodding my head I paused before kissing his cheek. Brock blushed bright red and gave a slow, amazed sound as he taped his forefingers together bashfully. Hey, the guy deserved a break.

"Goodbye Misty, I'll miss you." I said to her as I hugged her next. "Make sure you keep those two in order."

"Don't you worry, they'll be ship shape in no time with me watching out for them." She assured me and I giggled before I sensed Eevee beside me so I looked down. Pikachu was hugging Eevee, nuzzling into her fluffy coat as she rubbed into his sparking cheeks.

"Pika…Pika Pika…" Pikachu was saying and I smiled at the adorable scene as Togepi leaped out of Misty's arms to join the hug.

"Toge-piiii!" She trilled and Eevee tickled her with one of her ears as Pikachu did the same, making Togepi squeal with laughter. I watched them for a moment longer before Misty and Ash cleared their throats, signalling it was time to go.

"Come on you two, we have to get that boat before it leaves!" Ash smiled, kneeling down and ruffled Pikachu's head. "It's okay Pikachu, we'll see Ruby and Eevee again really soon. I promise." He assured his pal before picking him up.

"You too Togepi, we have to go now."

"Togepi?" It answered in confusion then looked down to Eevee, who was looking sadly up at them.

"It's alright Togepi, this is only temporary and for a very short while. Ruby will be back with us in no time!" With a warm smile the three of them turned and head out the door, waving as they went. "Goodbye Ruby!"

"Take care Ruby, see you soon!"

"Bye!"

"Pika Pika!" I smiled and waved at the door, almost completely forgetting that Kyle was still there right beside me. I waved frantically, Eevee running up my leg to leap up onto my shoulder, settling herself there as we watched the others disappear.

"Goodbye guys, I'll miss you!" I waved until finally, they were out of sight. Instantly I felt low and kind of empty. I really missed those guys already, yet I was certain I'll see them again at the Pokémon League, so this wasn't forever! I could really use this time to study hard and learn all I could.

"Well, if you come back tomorrow, I'll fix you up with a pass that'll let you back in without any questions." Kyle said, turning around to face me with a smile. "You can stick with me if you like as I make my rounds in the morning for the Pokémons' breakfast, would you like that?"

"Sure! I'd love it." I nodded my head eagerly and Eevee did too.

"Vee! Vee!"

"Great, I'll see you tomorrow then, be here around eight to help start with the feeding. I'll meet you here." Kyle said then waved. "You go have some fun now, there's a lot to see in Cinnabar and many beautiful viewing spots." He paused then gave me a bashful look. "Maybe I'll take you to see them at some point." I blushed lightly but smiled all the same.

"I'd really like that Kyle, thank you." I said to him then stepped outside. "See you tomorrow!" Turning I then head towards the beach.

"I think we all need some time to have a good play." I said to Eevee who nodded her head in agreement.

"Vee!"

"It's still light and quite warm, so I'll get us all ice creams as well! Let's go!" I beamed and together we ran to the beach. Since it was now later afternoon, most people seemed to have gone back to their rooms, which left plenty of space just for me and my Pokémon. "Alright, come on out you two!" I called and threw their Pokéballs forwards. "Let's have some fun!"

"Pidgeo!"

"Driiii!" Laughing as Dratini and Pidgeotto appeared I told them to wait a moment whilst I changed in a shower block. I quickly swapped my clothes for a plain black one piece and tied a skirt around my hips just to cover up a little. Once I lashed up the string I stepped outside to see my Pokémon all playing in the sand, making me laugh.

"Alright, let's go!" I called, turning and beginng to race down the beach, grabbing the beach ball I had inflated and flung it to Eevee as Dratini rode on her back.

"Vee!" Eevee leaped up and head butt the ball, shooting it up into the air for Pidgeotto to soar after. She smacked it with a wing back down to Eevee, so Dratini leaped up and whacked it with her tail over to me, making me laugh.

"That's great teamwork guys, let's keep this up! I'll race you to the ice cream stand!" I called then ran a little faster, urging them on. I laughed as I knocked the ball back and forth, stopping a few feet from the ice cream stand to continue the string of success we were having, none of us had dropped the ball even once. "That's it Dratini, don't let that ball escape you!" I called to her as she jumped up into the air to hit the ball up to Pidgeotto. "Use your wings to bounce the ball Pidgeotto! Get control before letting it drop back to us!" I directed and she did so, keeping the ball up by bouncing it on her wings and talons but as she let it drop back down, a harsh wind suddenly snatched it up and carried it away. "Hey! Don't let it fly away!"

"Vee!" Eevee yelped and raced after it with Pidgeotto, Dratini and I.

"Eevee, be careful! There are other people around!" I called as she leaped over a kid's sandcastle, only just missing its fragile structure. "Sorry!" I called as I raced past after the excitable Pokémon. "Eevee!" But she hurried forwards, jumping left and right to follow the flying beach ball until finally, it began to descend to the ground…only to hit someone sunbathing on the head.

"Hey!" Oh no, not Gary Oak! Anyone but him! "What's the big idea?" He demanded, sitting up and taking off his shades so I stopped running, thinking about turning and just walking away but Eevee had abandoned her chase after the ball to leap up onto Gary's bare chest and greeted him sweetly.

"Vee!" She trilled then began to lick his face, making him laugh.

"Hey there Eevee, were you the one to drop that ball on me like that?" Snorting I stepped forwards, picking up the beach ball as Dratini wound her way up my leg and climbed up to my shoulder, Pidgeotto landing on a parasol next to me.

"Well maybe if your head wasn't so big it wouldn't have struck the target." I answered simply then turned to Eevee. "Come on Eevee, I promised you all ice cream didn't I?" I said and her eyes sparkled happily.

"Vee!" She nuzzled against Gary one more time before leaping off and springing to my side. Gary gave a little humph but otherwise ignored me, putting his shades back on.

"What are you doing here anyway? Why aren't you with your loser friends?" I shot him a look, hoping he couldn't see the glare I was giving him from under those ridiculous sunglasses otherwise he may as well be turned to stone.

"I'm here to study the Pokémon at the Research Lab." I informed him snippily. "So the others have moved on so Ash can get his last badge. He won the Volcano Badge, you know." I boasted on Ash's behalf and Gary actually fell out of his chair.

"He what?!" I smirked with satisfaction, lifting my chin then began to walk away, ball resting on my hip. "Hey wait, Ruby! You mean Ash got his Volcano Badge from a run down gym without a leader? How did he do it? Where is the leader? I want to challenge him!" Shaking my head and clicking my tongue as I walked, I thought about simply not answering. "Come on Ruby, you have to tell me!" Gary practically begged, waving his arms around me as I walked up to the ice cream stall.

"Hi!" I said cheerfully and the woman smiled.

"Well hello dear! A fine day, isn't it? Are you enjoying yourself here?" She asked and I nodded my head.

"It's a beautiful island, though there are some things that just _bug_ me." I said with a pointed look to Gary who glared then looked away. "Let's see, may I have two chocolate, one vanilla, one strawberry and one mint chocolate in a cone please?" I asked and she nodded her head.

"Of course sweetie, you just hold right there." She told me, picking up an ice cream tray and set it down as she began to fill up the ice cream cones.

"How did Ash win a badge like that? Those Pokémon must have been pushovers." Gary mused so I whipped around and prodded him in the gut, making him double over with a yelp.

"Those Pokémon were not pushovers! They were really tough and Ash nearly lost, but his Pokémon pulled through. I doubt even _you_ would have stood a chance against Blaine had you tried, he raises some super awesome fire type Pokémon that would roast you up alive." I told him, folding my arms as Dratini wriggled in anticipation on my shoulder.

"Driiii!" She chimed and I instantly forgot my anger.

"Don't worry." I giggled, tickling her chin. "I got you vanilla, your favourite!"

"Vee?" Eevee tilted her head to the side as her ears flopped, almost making me squeal as I knelt down and stroked her fur.

"And strawberry for you too." I assured her and she did a backflip for joy.

"Vee!" Pidgeotto landed on the roof of the ice cream van, looking down hopefully as the lady finished with the last chocolate cone.

"There, I hope you enjoy them!" She smiled as I paid for them. "Make sure you keep cool and put plenty of suncream on, it may be cool because of the breeze but the sunlight is still very strong." She warned in a grandmotherly tone, making me smile.

"We will ma'am, don't you worry. Thanks again!" I waved then carried the tray over to where I had put my things. "Okay guys, gather around!" I put down the tray and picked up two of the ice creams, the mint chocolate and plain chocolate as the Pokémon helped themselves to their own ice creams. "Here." I held out the mint chocolate to Gary, who blinked in surprise.

"You got that for me?" He asked and I nodded my head, getting impatient.

"Yeah, I remember it was your favourite in pre-school. Unless your tastebuds have changed."

"No!" He quickly answered, taking the ice cream with a grateful nod. "No it's still my favourite." Gary watched as I sat down with my Pokémon, who instantly abandoned their ice cream to crowd around me and nuzzle up for a hug, making me laugh and smile brightly as I hugged them all to me.

"I love you guys too, now come on! Eat up before your ice cream melts, it's still pretty hot out." I encouraged so they dived back in. "Oh Eevee look at you, you're all messy!" I giggled as she lifted her head, mouth covered with pink goo and I giggled some more. "We'd better get you cleaned up later. We'll head up to the hot springs so I can bath you all, it's been a while since we've had a spruce up session, I think it'll be nice for you all to have some pampering." I babbled, completely forgetting that Gary was still there as he had sat down next to me. "This place is a resort after all, why not enjoy a little luxury too?"

"You talk a lot." Gary announced and I yelped, almost leaping out of my seat on the ground at the sudden announcement of his constant existence in my head.

"Don't interrupt me when I'm talking to my Pokémon!" I gasped for breath, recovering from the surprise. "I almost had a heart attack." He smiled at me and said nothing, which was kind of scary as now I didn't know what he was thinking, which disarmed me a little.

"Vee?" Eevee jumped towards me, putting her paws on my legs and lifted her face to my ice cream, trying to get a taste.

"Hey! You've had yours! This one is mine!" I laughed, trying to push her away but she tackled me again, laughing too as she tried to get a lick of my ice cream. "Alright! Alright you can have some, but only if you ask nicely." Instantly Eevee hopped back and sat down, turning her adorable little ice cream stained face up to me with her ears flattened back with a pleading look in he sparkling eyes.

"Vee?" Dratini moved closer too, giving me a similar look so I caved in.

"Oh alright, you can both have a taste. Here you go." I smiled and held my ice cream out to them, letting them lick away and finish it for me as Pidgeotto came closer, leaning into me and chirped as she rubbed her head against mine.

"You and your Pokémon have a really close bond." Gary noted, a little more quietly than he did last time so I turned and nodded with a proud expression.

"Of course. We're more than just partners, we're family. Isn't that right guys?" I questioned and they all cheered happily, bouncing up and down though Pidgeotto merely nodded her head nobly. "I believe that by bringing out a Pokémon's true inner personality and beauty, they can be even stronger and spirited than if there was a weak connection between us." I explained to Gary who frowned in thought. "When we're close, we think and move in very similar ways. It's gone so far as for Pidgeotto to anticipate my orders in a battle so she goes for it without me needing to tell her, which gives us the element of surprise. Plus I really love my Pokémon, there's nothing I enjoy more than just spending time with them." In answer Eevee and Dratini leaped into my arms and Pidgeotto leaned closer, putting her wing around me as I laughed, the two younger ones tickling my sides as I tickled them.

Gary watched in silence, but he was smiling and I couldn't help but smile back, though I was laughing like an idiot with the Pokémon all tickling my sides. However when someone shouted out my name, I knew instantly that something was wrong.

"Ruby! Ruby come quick!" Kyle yelled and instantly I was getting to my feet, Dratini and Eevee in my arms.

"Kyle! What's happened? Has the lab been attacked?" I asked as the frantic boy skidded to a halt before us, panting for breath.

"It's the Old Amber you brought to us, it worked! It's now an Areodactyl, only thing is, we can't capture it! It's gone completely wild and it's trashing the lab, attacking people, Pokémon, anything it can!" I gasped, eyes bulging wide open before they narrowed.

"Okay, let's go! Pidgeotto, fly ahead and get that Areodactyl's attention, try get it out of the lab if you can and up into the air!" I ordered and she nodded her head determinedly.

"Pidgeo!" She called then quickly flew off as Kyle yelped in surprise.

"What are you doing? You can't send a Pokémon ahead of you, you need to be there to order it how to battle!" I shook my head, grabbing my things quickly but I didn't bother to change.

"Pidgeotto and I have been friends for a long time, I'm confident in her abilities to fly solo for a while. Now let's get moving! Gary, are you coming?" He smiled as he pulled on his shirt.

"Right behind you Rubes." I growled at the nickname but said nothing, turning with both Dratini and Eevee on my shoulders and ran with the two boys back up to the Pokémon lab. The moment I stepped on the paving stones, however, I leaped back with a yell, grabbing my foot as it burned from the heat of the setting sun.

"Ow! Hot! Hot! Hot!" I yelled then growled, quickly grabbing my shoes to yank them on. "Stupid stones." I shook my head then ran forwards, already able to hear the prehistoric cry of the Areodactyl. As we raced down the street, however, something smashed through the window. "Oh! Pidgeotto!" I shouted in fear, stopping short as my Pokémon friend came crashing out the window, a huge dark shape right behind her.

However Pidgeotto uncurled and spread her wings, trilling loudly as she then rose up into the sky elegantly, watching as the Areodactyl then slammed into a lamppost, unable to manoeuvre as Pidgeotto could. "Alright! That's my girl." I cheered Pidgeotto as she did a loop the loop. "Okay, Pidgeotto use Wing Attack!" I called as the Areodactyl unpeeled itself from the post then flew up into the sky again, calling out in anger as people began to scream and run for cover.

Pidgeotto's wings began to glow and her speed increased, flying at the Areodactyl as it used its massive wings to smash up a cookie stand. Not fair! Looking at the Pokémon though, I instantly knew it was a very different specimen. There were pale purple marking on its wings and around its eyes and it was far larger than the Areodactyl that had kidnapped Ash. Meaner looking too.

Pidgeotto slammed into the Areogactly, wings knocking him off course as it dive bombed a group of tourists however it quickly recovered, shaking out its head then roared, turning to chase after Pidgeotto again. "Gary, Kyle, what Pokémon do you have with you?" I asked quickly, watching as Pidgeotto continued to battle the Aerodactyl, keeping it occupied as I struggled for a plan.

"I have a Spearow." Kyle offered but I shook my head.

"We'll need more firepower than that. If only…if only Charizard were here." I murmured, looking down as a pain stabbed at my chest but I quickly shoved it aside. "Okay Pidgeotto, use Fly! Ram that dino out of the sky!" I yelled and Pidgeotto instantly twisted upwards, shooting up into the clouds for cover. "Great idea Pidgeotto!" I yelled after her as sirens began to wail.

"What is going on?" Officer Jenny demanded as she rode up on her motorcycle but then she looked up. "Oh my…goodness!" She gasped, staring at the Areodactyl as it cut through the roof of some hotel with a clean swipe of its wing. "We have to get more help, I'll call for backup." Officer Jenny told us and picked up her radio. "I need support at the Pokémon Research facility, I have a rogue prehistoric Pokémon on a rampage!"

"Pidgeo!" Pidgeotto cried as she dived down from the sky, eyes narrowed in concentration as she tucked in her wings.

"Spin Pidgeotto!" I yelled and she began to spin, gaining more attack power as she aimed for the unsuspecting Areodactyl as it flew towards the food court. Pidgeotto slammed into it from above, knocking it down out of the sky and I breathed a sigh of relief. "Alright! Excellent hit Pidgeotto, now use Twister!"

"Vee!" Eevee cheered as Pidgeotto swerved around to come back at the Areodactly as it began to fall, however its eyes snapped open and with a giant flap of its wings, it rose back up into the air. Everyone gasped, staring in horror as the Areodactyl just came back just as strong as before.

"No…" I whispered, watching as it lunged for Pidgeotto. "Pidgeotto dive!" I yelled and Pidgeotto instantly tucked in her wings and dived down, narrowly missing the Bite from the Areodactly. More police units arrived, each of them staring upwards but Officer Jenny began to whip them into action.

"We need to subdue and capture this Pokémon! I want a net ready to fire at the target and a quick inflation landing float, we don't want to cause this Pokémon any harm!" She order swiftly and I watched as my Pidgeotto swerved and manoeuvred to keep out of Areodactyls's reach. I watched it carefully, learning how it moved. It was large and powerful but very limited with its maneuverability.

"Ready, aim, fire!" I gasped, grabbing onto the nearest thing for comfort and support, which just so happened to be Gary. "What if they hit Pidgeotto?" I whispered, turning to face him but then blinked. I was clinging onto his arm. I quickly let go and cleared my throat, stepping back but Gary placed a hand on my shoulder.

"Pidgeotto is fast, they'd struggle to catch her, even if they were aiming for her." Slightly eased, I looked up at the sky. The first net missed and so did the second, however the third caught its body, wrapping up its wings. Everyone cheered as the Areodactyl began to fall and Pidgeotto followed, watching it carefully.

Whilst everyone was celebrating, I noticed how the Areoactyl was beginning to struggle. Those wings were pretty strong, I doubt that net would hold him. "Pidgeotto, get ready with another Fly attack!" I called up to her, making several people blink in surprise at me. "Don't let it get away from you when it breaks free!"

"Pidgeo!" She called and flew up into the clouds, which were beginning to grow dark and stormy.

"Escape?" Popele began to whisper and just then, the net around the Areodactyl snapped. People screamed and ran for cover, falling to the ground as the Areodactyl flew low, swinging its tail to hit stalls and it snapped its jaws at people.

"Watch out!" Kyle yelled and pushed both Gary and I out the way just in time. I could feel the gust from under those powerful wings and the smell of its fishy breath. Gross.

"Pidgeotto hurry!" I yelled and suddenly she dived down towards the ground. Dratini and Eevee quivered on my shoulders so I drew them close to me, cuddling them in my arms as I watched Pidgeotto dive down. "It's alright, we're safe here." I assured them softly with a brave smile. "I swear, I'll never let anything hurt you." I said to them and they looked up at me with large watery eyes. "I promise I'll always protect you and keep you safe, so don't worry. We have our knight in shining feathers taking care of that nasty dragon."

"Driii!" Dratini cheered then rubbed her face into my cheek as I turned to watch Pidgeotto. She slammed into the Areodactyl who crashed into the ground due to its low altitude, causing it to roar but it lay stunned for a few moments.

"Hurry Officer Jenny, it'll get back up pretty quickly!" I called over and she nodded her head to me.

"Alright, snag that Pokémon!" She pointed and a net suddenly burst out of a cannon gun, swallowing the stunned Areodactyl and I picked up a Pokéball.

"I better go catch it before it escapes." I said, handing Dratini and Eevee over to Gary who blinked. "Hold them for a moment for me." Running forwards I raced first over to Pidgeotto who landed on the ground then collapsed. "Pidgeotto! Are you okay?" I asked, lifting her up and looking at her with worry. "You fought so bravely, I'm incredibly proud of you." I said to her. "You helped save the island!"

"Pidgeo…" She murmured and I smiled, giving a little laugh at her pleased expression before lifting her Pokéball.

"Here, I'll take you to Nurse Joy right away to get you healed up. You deserve only the best Pidgeotto!" I said but paused when I heard something snap.

"It's breaking free!" Someone yelled and there was more screaming. Whirling around I lifted Pidgeotto into my arms and faced the Areodactyl, who was glaring at Pidgeotto with unquestionable anger. With one mighty spread of its wings, it ripped open the net and stood there, glaring stormily as it breathed angrily, focussed only on us.

"Easy, take it easy now…" I said slowly and Pidgeotto instantly shot out of my arms, landing on the ground but the moment she spread her wings to try and fly, she cried out and landed flat on her belly. "Pidgeotto!" I gasped and instantly crouched over her, shielding her from the Aerodactyl who opened its jaws and began to blow things apart with its Hyper Beam attack.

I leaped out of the way of one of the beams, gasping as I hit the ground and saw a car blow up behind where I had been standing only moments ago. "Pidgeotto!" I called as she tried to attack with Whirlwind but Areodactyl turned and with one strike of its wing, sent Pidgeotto flying. "No!" I screamed and raced forwards, lunging to catch her before she could hit the ground. "Pidgeotto?" I whispered, looking down at her quivering form. "It's alright, you've done amazingly." I said to her. "Return now and I'll take care of you." I promised as Gary and Kyle ran over.

"Ruby!" Gary grabbed my arms and lifted me up, pulling me back further out of the way as Areodactyl continued to go crazy. "You have to get out of here, I'll handle this old fossil with my Wartortle and Nidoking!" He yelled over the noise but I shook my head.

"He's just scared!" I yelled back, using my arms to shield my eyes from the blasts. "He doesn't understand where he is or what's going on, I just need to talk to him!" I explained as I pressed Pidgeotto's Pokéball into Gary's hand. "Take care of her for me!" I then turned around and ran towards the Areodactyl.

"Ruby no!" Kyle and Gary yelled as I flew forwards, dodging a Hyper Beam attack as it came dangerously close and blocked any way back to the others. Well, no changing my mind now. Somehow I could sense this Pokémon's fear, see it in its eyes. It was defensive because it felt threatened by this new world it knew nothing of, deep down in my heart I could feel it.

"Areodactyl!" I yelled over the noise and it turned to face me, spreading his huge wings and roaring at me, preparing another Hyper Beam attack. Directly at me. "I know you're afraid but it's alright! No one wants to hurt you! Just calm down!" I continued, shielding my eyes from the light but it continued to summon the energy anyway. "Listen to me, I promise I will help you! I can find you a great home to live or even a trainer to take you travelling if you want, just please stop hurting people!" It paused, ball of energy rolling in its mouth and I gave a slight sigh of relief, it looks like I've gotten through. "My name is Ruby Bates, I'm a Pokémon trainer. I'm sorry that you've been awoken from your sleep to such a frightening world, but it really isn't so bad! I promise if you just stop attacking, we can find you a new home to live and I'll look after you, you are not in danger!" I yelled as everyone watched with baited breath, staring as I faced down the Areodactyl.

Slowly I stretched out a hand and took a step forwards, eyes locked on the Areodactyl as I began to approach, hand still held out. Something was guiding me, telling me just to touch this Pokémon and then it would all be alright. Swallowing nervously I hid my fear and kept my heart steady, hearing Fraiser's voice in my head.

"They can sense your fear, girl. Don't give them that weapon against you." So I took deep, even breaths and continued to look directly into Areodactyl's eyes, taking one step at a time, letting him decide how close I got. Finally I was close enough to reach forwards and touch him, so I carefully lifted my hand higher and touched his chest.

A burst of light flashed around me and my eyes flew wide open, the breath leaving my body as I felt a wave of fear swallow me. I was terrified, what was this place? Where am I? Why are there so few trees and these tiny pink faced things all around? Where was home? Where are my flock? I'm alone, I don't like being alone, and there is danger all around!

Wait…that wasn't me, that was…that was Areodactyl! Taking a deep breath I closed my eyes and began to feel my own emotion. Calm peace washed over me and Areodactyl, sending him into a dozy state as I continued to let my feelings and emotions flow into him as they had flown into me.

What was this? I don't understand. How was I doing this? Maybe I need to speak to Professor Oak, he might have an answer. Once Areodactyl was calm, he closed his mouth and the Hyper Beam attack dispearsed, so I smiled and pulled my hand back.

Instantly the blue around us disappeared and the city around us appeared again, folding back into shape as I blinked, swaying slightly with exhaustion. "It's alright. You'll be safe with me." I told him gently, rubbing his snout as he lowered his head to me. "I'll protect you." I promised and it gave a soft growl.

"It's not attacking, hurry and capture it!" A voice suddenly yelled and I snapped my head over to an officer who pointed towards Aerodactyl and another lifted the net cannon.

"No!" I yelled, flinging myself forwards and spread my arms. "Don't! I have it under control!" I tried to tell them but the net had already been fired. Something tells me this is going to hurt. My eyes widened as the net shot towards us, only distantly hearing Gary and my Pokémon shout but then Areodactyl roared.

He flapped his wings and rose up, stopping only to grab me around the waist with one of his massive claws and together, we lifted up into the air. I cried out as the net barely missed us, feeling the rush of its passing as it wrapped around a lamppost instead. "Hey! Areodactyl! You need to put me down!" I called but it ignored me, rising up higher into the sky and suddenly I realised what it was doing. It was hightailing out of there, with me as its new play toy. "No! No put me down!" I yelled, kicking and trying to wriggle free as more nets shot into the sky but Officer Jenny's voice rang in my ears.

"Hold fire! We can't risk the civillian's safety, get a flight team out here now!"

"Ruby! Hang on Ruby!" Kyle shouted up as Areodactyl began to soar away with me.

"Ruby!"

"Driiii!"

"Vee! Vee!" I heard Gary and my two Pokémon calling out to me but no matter how loud I shouted, Areodactyl flew up into the clouds and carried me away, though I was now soaked to the bone. Shivering from the cold I gripped onto the claw, not wanting to slip now in case I fell and went splat.

Fear rolled over me, making my entire body seize up as I slowly looked up to the Areodactyl, who suddenly looked down at me with a piercing yellow glare. It let out a shrieking roar and my heart jolted, making the blood rush to my head and finally, I just gave up and gave out.


	30. Chapter 30

When I awoke, I was lying on hard rocky ground which was quite warm, though very uncomfortable. Groaning I blinked myself properly awake and looked up, finding myself to be in a small cave near its mouth, where the sunrise was set over the glittering ocean in a perfect picture of peace and tranquillity.

There was nothing and no one about, only rocks that built the mountain…or rather…volcano. An _active_ volcano. "Holy Krabby!" I yelped, leaping backwards as a spit of molten lava fell down out of the mouth of the volcano and plunged into the ocean, making it sizzle and hiss. "Oh no, this is not good. This is _bad_. Like, I'm in big trouble with mom bad!" I panicked, looking around as my heart began to pound. "Okay, okay keep calm Ruby, this is _not_ the end of the world, just use your head." But for once, I got nothing.

I had no Pokémon, no supplies and was still wearing my swimsuit and tie on skirt! Oh wait, I still have my belt with a few spare Pokéballs, but there don't seem to be any Pokémon around here! Shaking my head I stepped out the cave and looked around, seeing numerous others however nothing stirred. Looking out to the ocean, I sucked in a deep breath.

"HELP!" I bellowed, hoping that it may carry and get someone's attention. "SOMEBODY HELP ME!" However when I heard the beat of wings, I instantly knew that shouting had been a bad idea. The Areodactyl that had kidnapped me cried out and landed in front of me, glaring as I stumbled backwards.

With a lash of its tail it pushed me back inside, making me gasp in fear and instantly run to retreat back into the cave. "S-s-stay back!" I ordered, pressing my back into the back wall of the cave. "I mean it! I'll Kung-Fu and Karate Chop you if you come any closer!" I told it, getting my fear under control. "You don't scare me."

The Areodactyl snorted then opened its large jaws to let out a horrendous roar, surrounding me in the smell of fish and bad breath. When it was over I sank to the ground, completely washed out and wide eyed. "Okay…you win." Huffing haughtily the Areodactyl sat down then folded its wings, curling up to have a nap.

Watching it carefully I waited, glancing to the tail that lay across the entrance. Swallowing nervously I glanced to the sunrise then settled, sitting upright so that I wouldn't fall asleep. If I can just get to the top of the mountain, maybe I could signall a helicopter or something.

First, this dino fossil needs to fall asleep. I waited and watched, listening to its breathing but as I watched, I started to think. How had I been so sensitive to its emotions back on Cinnabar Island? It was so…weird. It was like we were connected or something. This was something I would definitely have to ask Professor Oak about.

But how long does it take this Areodactyl to go to sleep?! It keeps on opening one eye to check on me, so I huddled closer into the shadows and avoided all contact. Why was it not eating me? Not that I'm compalinging, I'm just a little confused.

"Why am I here?" I asked and the Areodactyl lifted its head as I sighed. "Why did you bring me here?" It answered with a low huff, shifting to get more comfortable before lowering its head back down. "Were you…just trying to protect me?" I asked and he nodded his head. "Oh…" I trailed off, blinking in surprise. So Areodactyl had just wanted to protect me from what he perceived as a threat. That's really sweet.

"Areodactyl, you need to take me back. Please." I said, standing up and approaching without fear. I knelt down beside his head, resting a hand and began to knead my fingers into the skin, making him sigh softly and give a little smile. "If you'd just stay calm and let me handle things, I promise nothing will hurt you." Taking a deep breath I sighed then continued. "But I have a friend who is really hurt and I need to make sure they're alright as well as my other friends. If you come with me I can introduce you." I offered but Areodactyl shook his head. "Please? I'm really worried about Pidgeotto."

Areodactyl snorted then lifted a wing, pushing me back from him forcibly and I tripped, falling onto my rear. "Hey! That wasn't nice." I growled but he ignored me. "Fine. Be like that." I grunted, turning and folding my arms.

However after a few minutes, I could hear Areodactyl snoring. Turning slowly back around I waited a few more minutes to make sure he was asleep before beginning to crawl forwards. I kept as quiet as possible, gradually rising to my feet as I reached Areodactyl's tail.

Suddenly it shifted and I froze in place, one leg lifted up ready to step over it. It rose up then flopped down again, a low grunt coming from Areodactyl so I quickly hopped over then went for the entrance. The moment I got outside I started to climb, grabbing onto rocks to hoist myself up.

Sucking in a deep breath I leaped for a new ledge then continued to scramble, flinching every time a stone tumbled back down, clicking every time it hit antoher rock. "This has to be one of the crazier things I've done." I grunted to myself as I pulled myself up higher. "I just wish the others were here too, it's more fun that way." I muttered, shaking my head. "Get a grip Ruby." Scolding myself I pulled myself up the last stretch then collapsed at the top. "Ugh…I need to get back into shape. I think I need more serious training." I groaned to myself before opening my eyes and looking around.

For miles around there were clear open skies and loads of islands with volcanic activity, however none seemed to have any civilaisation at all. This is very not good. Taking in a deep breath I tried to stay calm, though at this point it was becoming pretty difficult. I couldn't see anyone or anything, wich meant I would have to just wait for someone to come by searching for me.

"Well, might as well sit down and make yourself comfortable Ruby. There's nothing else for you to do." I said to myself and sat down on a rock, scanning the horizon to look for any boats or aircraft. There would be people looking for me, so it shouldn't take _forever_ , I mean, hundreds of people saw me being carried away by an Areodactyl, so I'm pretty sure they'd know to come looking for me. At least now I know how Ash felt when he was almost eaten by that Areodactyl back in Granpa Canyon.

Good times. Lifting my head I suddenly realised that there was no hat to shield my eyes. "Agh! Where's my hat?!" I shrieked, leaping up but then I clamped my hands over my mouth. "Oops." Suddenly a roar sounded from below, a rather grouchy, hungry and angry roar. Areodactyl was awake. Let's get out of here!

Picking up the speed I raced for the other side of the mountain, planning on descending the other side and hiding but then a huge shape cut in front of me, wings beating angrilyl against the air as I looked up into the furious face of Areodactyl.

He roared again and I could not help but scream, falling backwards as I held out my hands to protect myself. "Stay away!" But then I heard another set of wings and a different roar, only this time it was one I knew all too well.

A large shadow shot down from the clouds and through the plume of smoke from the volcano's mouth, plummeting down to slam directly into Areodactyl's side and threw him off course so that he crumbled into the rocks.

"Charizard!" I yelled with joy, leaping to my feet and ran to my first Pokémon as he landed and lowered his head to me, instantly closing his eyes and rubbed his head into me as I flung my arms around him. "You came back for me!" I began to cry, tears welling up in my eyes as I sniffed. "Did you sense I was in danger?" Charizard nodded his head then slathered his tongue all up my front, making me giggle but my joy was quickly cut short as Areodactyl came screeching back at us at full speed, eyes narrowed and locked on this new threat. "Charizard, fly up and use Flamethrower!" I yelled, pointing to the sky and Charizard instantly flew upwards.

He soared around in an arc then let lose a pretty awesome Flamethrower, hitting Areodactyl directly but it flew through the flames and up to hit Charizard in the gut, knocking him out of the sky as I gasped. "No! Charizard level out, spread your wings to glide down and give yourself time to recover." Charizard instantly spread out his wings, letting himself glide as he shook his head, growling angrily as he recovered himself once more. "Alright! Now use Rage!" I stood back and watched as a fire lit in Charizard's eyes, his body beginning to glow slightly red as his Rage attack began to build.

Aerodactyl charged at Charizard, tucking in his wings but Charizard dodged out the way and quickly turned on Areodactyl, slamming into him and threw him off course. "Hurry and hit him again before he recovers, move him this way!" I called as I picked up a spare Pokéball ready to throw at Areodactyl.

Charizard slammed into Areodactyl, flying to move his position each time so that Areodactyl couldn't have time to recover and strike back. "That's it, you're doing great Charizard, make this the last one! Give it all you've got!" I called and Charizard roared in agreement, spinning back over his head to gain momentum before ramming into Aerodactyl one last time.

Areodactyl roared as he tumbled down, completely worn out from Charizard's hammering. "Alright! Pokéball go!" I yelled, kicking up a leg then bowled the ball forwards, letting it shoot towards the falling Pokémon and when it struck, it sucked Areodactyl right in. "Woah!" Lunging forwards I grabbed the Pokéball as it tumbled out of the sky, landing flat on my belly but when I felt the smooth Pokéball touch my fingers I gripped it tightly and didn't let go.

It wriggled in my grip, juttering slightly as the red light flashed. Charizard landed beside me, ready to attack in case Areodactyl escaped. However after a few moments, the Pokéball went still and the red light disappeared.

"Alright! We caught Areodactyl!" I yelled triumphantly, scrambling to my feet and flung my arms around Charizard's neck. "I'm so happy to see you! I missed you so much Charizard!" I said, burying my face into him as his head pressed into my back. "Thank you for coming for me, but how did you find me? Did you track our scent?" Charizard grunted and nodded his head against me. I held onto him tighter, not wanting to let him go but when I did, I put on a bright smile. "So did you find your family?" Charizard nodded his head. "And you're happy where you are? Do they take good care of you? Have you been remembering to wash after battles?" I fussed then began to circle him, making sure that he was okay. "Oh you've bruised yourself a little here!" I worried, touching his leg. "Don't worry, we'll get some stuff that right away when we get back." I assured him, putting the Pokéball on my belt as I giggled and began to scratch at his back.

Charizard stretched up and growled happily, rolling over onto his back so that I could rub his belly, giggling as I pressed my face into his warm skin. "I really missed you Charizard." I murmured, settling against him as I sat down on the ground. "It felt really strange without you."

In answer Charizard rolled onto his side and curled around me, lifting a wing up to shield me from the glaring sun, gazing up at me with loving eyes as I smiled then kissed his face. "And I'll continue to miss you when you leave again." I said to him, running my hand over his snout. "But as long as you're happy then that's good enough for me."

Nodding his head Charizard climbed to his feet then lowered down a wing, letting me spring up to settle on his back. "Alright, let's take to the skies Charizard! Take me back to Cinnnabar Island!" I pointed upwards and with a loud roar, Charizard leaped up into the air, sailing off the cliff then dove down, skimming the rocks as we hurtled towards the ocean and I lifted my hands up, calling out as if I were on a rollarcoaster. "Woah!"

At the last moment before we hit the water, Charizard flapped his wings and lifted us up, pulling the two of us back up into the sky and he soared forwards, heading north. I laughed and punched the air, much too ecstatic to behave sensibly so I stood up on Charizard's back as if I were surfing, calling out and whooping at every opportunity.

Charizard took me on the ride of my life, rising up above the clouds and diving straight down, looping and swerving until I was exhausted from the excitement. Stretched out on Charizard's back I gazed up at the clouds, inhaling deeply as time flew away. No pun intended.

When Charizard turned back and gave me a warning roar so I turned and looked down, seeing that Cinnabar Island was coming up. "Wow, you fly pretty fast." I said then turned around. "Alright, let's go!" I cheered, smiling as I turned around and hung onto Charizard as he roared then dove down.

The wind whipped through my hair, pulling it free from the ponytail I had been wearing it in and I had to close my eyes against the backlash of wind. My sking began to tingle from the cold, making my shiver but in no time at all, he had spread out his wings and was spiralling elegantly back down towards the Pokémon lab.

"Hey look! What's that?" Someone shouted out and pointed upwards as Charizard continued his descent.

"Isn't that the girl who got kidnapped by an Areodactyl?"

"Look! Look!" Lifting a hand I rubbed Charizard's neck, looking down as people began to gather.

"Easy now Charizard, let's not frighten everybody again." I said to him and he nodded his head in agreement, pulling himself up to slowly descend, flapping his wings to gradually land down on the ground.

"It's her! She's back!" People began to gather around, everyone trying to pull me off but a roar of a motorcycle and everyone stepped back as Officer Jenny raced forwards on her motorcycle.

"Alright everybody, let's step back, give them some space!" She yelled, leaping off her bike and raced over to Charizard and I as I carefully slipped down off his back then began to fuss over him, rubbing his head to thank him. "Are you alright? Where did the Areodactyl go?" Jenny asked me as I grinned, picking up its Pokéball.

"Its right here Officer Jenny!" I declared, showing it to her and everyone gasped, instantly backing away from the Pokéball with the apparently dangerous Areodactyl. "My Charizard here found us on a ring of islands south from here and he helped me capture Areodactyl, who only flew away because it felt threatened." I explained, though whilst doing so I was trying to stifle a yawn. "It carried me away because it wanted to protect me, that's all. Areodactyl just wanted to get me away from what it saw as a threat."

"Well, we'd better get you checked out by a doctor to make sure you're not hurt then you can get some rest, you look exhausted." Jenny told me with a smile but as people and the press came closer, lights flashing in my eyes, Charizard roared loudly and stomped his foot, creating a large space as he curled his tail around me and positioned his wing over my head in an attempt to shield me, but I merely laughed and pushed him away.

"Easy now Charizard, I know you're just trying to protect me too, you big softie." I said, hugging him tightly and he softened instantly, rubbing his nose into my hair as I noticed Blaine approaching us, hands behind his back. He wasn't wearing his hippie costume today, just his ordinary gym attire and he looked first at me then my Charizard.

"So, this is your Charizard is it?" He questioned and I nodded my head proudly.

"Yeah, I raised him from a Charmander. He's one of my best friends." I proclaimed proudly as Blaine began to inspect him.

"He's quite impressive." Blaine answered, lifting Charizard's wing to scrutinise it closely before moving to his tail and claws. "You have done an excellent job raising it."

"Thank you, but Charizard was always impressive. I just spruced him up a little. Isn't that right Charizard?" I said and he nodded his head with a growl of agreement, still pressing his face into mine. I smiled and rubbed his cheek, closing my eyes to lean into him when I heard someone calling out my name.

"Ruby! Ruby you're back!"

"Kyle!" I smiled, turning to face him, lifting a hand to wave but then another shape cut through the crowds.

"Ruby!" Before I could understand what was happening Gary had run over to me and I was suddenly found in his crushing hug, arms gripping onto me tightly as his head leaned against mine. I stared straight ahead in shock, arms stiff at my side as Gary continued to hold me before slowly, he drew back, smirked, then picked up my hat off his head and dropped it on my head. My hat! He had saved it for me! "I'm glad you're alright." He said with a smile and a wink so I gave a shaky laugh, lifting a hand to straighten up my cowboy's hat.

"Yeah…." Charizard snorted, giving a distasteful look however as Kyle tried to get closer to hug me too, Charizard held out his hand and stopped Kyle right in his tracks, plastering his hand to the boy's face though his feet continued to run.

"Hey! Let me go!" Kyle ordered, trying to push against Charizard's hand as I blinked then giggled, knowing exactly what Charizard was going to do next. He pulled back his hand and let Kyle drop to the ground like a flattened pancake.

"Hey Kyle, nice of you to drop by." I said however when I heard familiar calling, my head spun around.

"Vee! Vee! Vee Vee!"

"Driiiii!"

"Pidgeo!" With a gasp I turned and ran forwards a few steps towards Gary, who smiled with one hand on his hip as Eevee leaped up onto his shoulder and sprang forwards into my arms, letting me catch her and spin around with her in my arms.

"Eevee!" Dratini then appeared, weaving between legs but quickly wound her way up my arm so I could laugh and cuddle her too. The last to come was Pidgeotto, who flew with one wing banaged, though she fought to reach me. "Pidgeotto! Oh thank goodness you're alright!" I exhaled with relief, falling to my knees and put the others down so that I could fling my arms around her and hold her carefully close. "I was so worried." I whispered, tears sliding down my cheeks as my crew huddled together, comforting one another.

Eevee plastered herself to my face, tiny tongue licking my cheek as I beamed and Dratini sat on my head, calling out with her mysterious and mystical song whilst I held onto Pidgeotto, though Charizard also lowered his head to join in the hug. As photos were snapped away, I ignored everyone and everything apart from my Pokémon, glad to have them back. It had been so strange not to have them with me, almost as if a part of me were missing and I was so happy to have them back again.

"I'll never let any of you go." I said to them. "We're a team and a family, I'll always be here for you, no matter how far away you might be." Sucking down the tears I smiled and dried my face, standing up with Pidgeotto perched on my arm which I held up to hold her since she was so big and Eevee sat on my other shoulder, Dratini coiled on my head like an ancient crown. I laughed for the cameras, turning to smile at them with Officer Jenny, the scientist Dawson and his team, some other faces I didn't know and even received a certificate of acknowledgment for my help in taming Areodactyl.

"Ruby BATES!" A terrifying voice yelled and instantly my smiled dropped, all colour draining from my face.

"M…mom?" I blundered, staring as the street literally cleared as my mother charged forwards like a wild Tauros, eyes wide, angry and red with rage as she bore down on me, dad racing behind trying to keep up.

"What on EARTH did you think you were doing? Being carted off by some MONSTER of a Pokémon and frightening the LIFE out of me?!" She bellowed and Charizard took an attack stance, ready to shoot her down with a Flamethrower but I leaped forwards and waved my spare arm.

"No! No Charizard no! This is mom, remember her?" I asked, trying to prompt his memory. "You almost burnt down her kitchen?" Suddenly he blinked then chortled to himself, smoke trickling out his nose as he folded his arms, seemingly proud of himself.

"Ruby, you are coming home _this instant_ and you are not leaving until you can…oh what adorable Pokémon!" She squealed, clasping her hands together as she saw my Dratini and Eevee. "Oh so cute, so cuddly and beautiful! Come to mommy Bates! Yes that's right, oh it's so squishy I just want to hug it all day!" She grabbed Dratini off my head and Eevee from my shoulder to hug them, making them struggle to get free as I stood there, staring.

Mom went completely mad over Dratini and Eevee, stroking their heads, tickling their bellies but being an ex-Battle Girl, she may have been a little rough on them. "Sweetie! I'm so glad you're okay!" Dad exhaled with relief and Pidgeotto flew up onto Charizard's shoulder to let dad embrace me tightly.

"Dad!" I smiled, flinging my arms around him but hearing Charizard growl I looked around. "Don't worry Charizard, this is my dad. Remember him too? Your little Ember back in the day set his newspaper into ash." Smiling I reached out and placed my hand over his heart, feeling it thump strongly. "Besides, you're the only man in my life." I assured him and he seemed satisfied, so he nodded his head and leaned down to sniff dad, who laughed and patted his head, giving a little scratch where Charizard enjoyed it most.

"You've done a fine job raising your Pokémon. Pidgeotto looks fantastic." Dad said to me as mom continued to fuss over my other two Pokémon. "But how are you? Any cuts? Bruises? Did that Areodactyl take a bite out of you?"

"No dad I'm fine, really. Just a little tired." I assured him. "How did you get here so fast?"

"We took a plane over the moment we got the news you had been taken, I was set and ready to go out and capture a Fearow to go looking for you." I smiled bashfully, scraping my foot on the ground.

"Aw dad, that's so sweet of you." I said to him. He had a great fear of Fearow, so it meant a lot to me that he had said that. Suddenly reporters came crowding closer, asking questions and shouting in my face for answers though Officer Jenny tried to hold them back. "Dad!"

"Ruby! Over here!" Gary yelled, speeding forwards in his red sportscar so I nodded my head.

"Charizard, go with Pidgeotto and fly up to Riddle Inn, make sure she doesn't push herself." I called up, grabbing Dratini and Eevee from mom quickly then pulled her over to the car as Officer Jenny and her other police officers made a clear way for us. "Come on!" I called, jumping over a reporter who had tried to leap into our way but had only managed to trip over his own feet.

"Hey! Can I hold your Dratini again?" Mom asked as I opened the door and ushered both her and dad inside as Charizard took off with Pidgeotto who showed him the way back up to the Big Riddle Inn.

"Later mom, for now let's get out of here!" I said, leaping into the front seat with Dratini and Eevee on my lap. "Hit the gas Gary!" He nodded his head and suddenly the car revved forwards, making mom cry out and cling onto my dad who yelled just as loudly.

"Ruby!" Mom wailed over the wind as I looked back, my hair flying on the wind. "Who's your friend?" Though her words trailed out I gave her a smile and looked to Gary who concentrated on the road.

"My friend?" I questioned and he looked over at me briefly, catching the glint in my eye as I smiled. "He's Gary Oak. Professor Oak's grandson!" I called back over my shoulder then quickly pointed. "Turn left!" He yanked the wheel and we began to speed out of the main town and drove up to the inn where I planned on asking Blaine if my parents and I could stay another night.

I directed Gary up the mountain as mom had a little lecture and rant at me, how my getting myself kidnapped by a prehistoric Pokémon was inexcuseable yet she was so happy I was alright. I still had to negotiate the terms on me not yet coming home.

"Hello Ruby. I suspected I'd be seeing you again." Blaine said with a respectful nod of his head as Gary stopped right outside the door, his hair windswept and looking pretty cool, even if I do say so myself.

"Hey, I was hoping you wouldn't mind sparing a few rooms for me and my parents for a while." I said to him. "I'm staying in town a little longer to research and study the Pokémon at the Pokémon Lab." I explained as I jumped out of the car, settling Dratini and Eevee on my shoulders. "Have Charizard and Pidgeotto arrived yet?" Blaine nodded his head with a calm smile.

"You Pidgeotto is in the hot springs. It will help heal its wing faster." With a sigh of relief I relaxed, letting all the tension go.

"Gary, Gary Oak…oh! I remember you now." Dad announced with a suddenly voice, slapping Gary on the back with a grin. "I went to school with your father, we were always in the same class!" I blinked in surprise.

"Really? I never knew that. You've never mentioned Gary's father before." Dad gave a bashful laugh.

"Well, yes, because at first we were sworn rivals and sometimes enemies." My mouth dropped open in shock, gaping slightly as Gary just stood there, looking a little uncomfortable as he shifted slightly.

"But…"

"Come on!" Mom trilled, picking both Dratini and Eevee up and carried them under her arms. "I want to test out these hot springs, chop-chop all of you! Gary dear, you'll stay for dinner? Marvellous! Hurry up now Ruby darling, I fully intend to turn this trip into a vacation!" She called happily over her shoulder as she carted my Pokémon away, dad quickly following as he eagerly wanted to dive into the hot spring as well.

"Ugh…meet my parents." I gestured with slight embarrassment to Gary and Blaine who both had cocked eyebrows, staring after my mother as her shrill laugh echoed through the inn. "So, is it okay if we stay here?"

"Sure." Blaine said. "It's not like any other trainers are around to take the other rooms." He said with a kind smile. "I'll get started on some supper. You must be starving." In answer my stomach growled loudly, making me blush.

"Oh…just a little." I smiled then stood up straight, facing Gary. "You don't have to stay if you don't want to, but thanks for the get away." I said, inclining my head towards his car.

"No sweat, your Charizard just looked about ready to turn all those reporters into soot. I thought I'd step in and save the day again. As usual." I gave a huff and glared at him, turning my face away from him.

"Well, thanks." I said then stomped into the inn. Urgh! Why was he so self centred? This was totally unfair, why did he have to act so nice and caring one moment and then a complete jerk the next? It's so confusing!

Going through to the back I instantly ran over to Pidgeotto who was in a bath support, keeping her upright and above the waterline but she relaxed in the hot water, chirping quietly though she awoke when she heard me running to her. "Pidgeotto! How do you feel?" I asked, stroking her long feathered head.

"Pidgeo!" She assured me so I sighed with relief.

"Well I'm glad. You were super brave and I can't thank you enough for helping to stop Areodactyl. Look, he's right here." I said, showing her the Pokéball. "We'll take him back to the lab tomorrow and begin work on introducing him into new society and searching for a new trainer or habitat for him, depending on what he wants. I'll need all of your help to make sure he's on his best behaviour, but I want you to just rest and not move a muscle until you're completely better, okay?" I babbled and she chirped happily, rubbing her face into mine so I smiled then turned to Charizard who was watching me calmly.

Glancing over into the water I gave a little chuckle, seeing mom playing with Dratini and Eevee very happily as dad relaxed with a cocktail, so I stepped forwards and placed my arms as far as they would go around Charizard's belly. "I guess you should be going now." I whispered, giving a little sniff as tears began to rise to my eyes. "Thank you for coming back for me, I'll never forget it."

Charizard gave a low growling roar, lowering his head and began to nuge me, pressing his face into my side and rubbed to show affection, which only made me want to cry more. "Go on. You need to start flying now before it gets too dark." I told him, pushing back and stepping away but Charizard tried to follow. "I said go! It's what you wanted, to be free and you finally have it! Go on and go home! Your family must be worried about you, wondering if you're lost or hurt and all alone…"

Blaine entered the back and looked straight over to me and my Charizard as I turned my back, unable to look at him as it was making it harder to be able to let him go as he continued to try and get my attention. "Charizard, it was hard enough saying goodbye to you once. Please don't make me do it again. Just go!" By now everyone was watching, keeping quiet and I even saw Gary hovering behind Blaine, carrying some food trays but when he saw the tear strains, he blinked in surprise.

With a firm shove from Charizard I stumbled a step forwards but as I did so, my vision flashed with blue and I felt a surge of insistence tear through me on the brink of rage. "Oh! Ruby!" Mom began to wade forwards but I shook my head, clearing my mind.

"I'm fine mom." I said quietly then turned around to Charizard who began to stomp his feet, growling and roaring, making Eevee and Dratini whimper and draw back behind my mom. "Charizard I don't understand! Why aren't you flying away?"

"Maybe because he wants to stay." Blaine suggested from where he stood, making me look to him in shock.

"Stay?" I questioned then turned to look up at Charizard. "Is that true? You want to stay?" Charizard stopped his tantrum and nodded his head, lowering it back down to me and instinctively, I reached out to touch it. Instantly everything turned blue and bright images flashed before my mind.

I saw a version of myself surrounded by harsh light, though it lit my smile and made my eyes sparkle as Charmander looked up at me in confusion but instantly made an attachment to the girl it first saw, instantly knowing that this girl was something special.

Next I saw all the times we had played together, the times I had swung Charmander around in one of his good moods and how I had tickled his belly, which had made his inner fire glow. I then saw all the battles, both ones we failed and succeeded in but especially the fight against the Machamp, where I was filled with anger and determination, making Charmander's body change to grow stronger and turned up the heat of the fight.

More times of us together flashed before my eyes, each eye contact, each smile and laugh. I watched my Charizard grow to love me, and it was the most beautiful thing I had ever experienced as I could _feel_ everything he had felt, recognise each thought that had passed through his mind as he watched me fall down into the darkness as he rose higher, making his rage and desperation reach a peak that once again made his body change to grow even more powerful than before.

Then it was the star and moonlit flight with all my Pokémon, my laughter filling Charizard's ears and he clung to the sound, as he knew it would be one of his favourite memories of me. The pictures continued until finally, Charizard was flying towards a solitary island where flocks of Charizard lived.

He flew down and was instantly met by a slim Charizard with long lashes, a very beautiful creature who instantly hugged her smaller son. Charizard had felt so happy, so happy it made me cry as I could also feel the love between mother and son. He had a sister and a tiny little brother only a Charmander, but he kept an eye on them and even played with them the way I had played with him, lifting them up into the air and tickling their bellies, however not long after arriving, Charizard felt a sense of foreboding.

Something was wrong. Very wrong. His gut was telling him that I was in trouble and needed him, but how could he leave? How could he leave when he knew that if he did and saw me again, he'd never want to leave my side again. But after his mother comforted him, her soft brown eyes telling Charizard that he'd always have this family, but I would be a once in a lifetime chance, Charizard made his choice and flew away.

The rest was recent history, but Charizard continually showed me memories of us looking at one another, me jumping on his belly to tackle him with a hug and kissing his face before finally, everything rushed back into normal with a flash of blue.

I groaned, eyes drooping quickly as I slumped and fell to my knees with exhaustion. "Ruby!" Everyone called as Charizard drew back, looking at me in shock as I struggled to keep upright. "Ruby, are you alright?" Gary asked as he quickly knelt down and gripped my shoulders. "You did it again, just like last time. You somehow made a connection with Charizard like you did with Areodactyl." I made a soft whimpering sound, blinking to try and wake myself.

"Get her into the water, it will help bring her around." Blaine said and mom strode over, lifting me up easily and carried me into the water where Eevee and Dratini instantly swam over to me and kept close, resting their heads against my shoulder as they gave soft little sounds of concern.

Gradually the heat of the water brought my senses back to me and I blinked, taking in a deep breath before looking up at Blaine. "What just happened? It was really weird, I saw…I saw Charizard's memories." Blaine blinked in surprise but quickly hid it from his expression.

"You should eat and rest, Ruby. You must be exhausted and are beginning to hallucinate." He answered a little stiffly but something in his tone snagged at my attention, making me not want to give up just yet, however I held my tongue.

"Baby are you alright? My poor sweet darling, I'll get you some of your favourite food for dinner! There seems to be quite an impressive selection here." Mom suggested, fussing over me before kissing my head. "Now don't go anywhere, I'll be right back sweetie!" I groaned.

"Mom, stop fussing! I'm fine!" I insisted but she was already in her own little world, picking up food and piling it up on a plate for me. "Oh great. I'm going to blow up like a Snorlax if she has her way."

"Don't worry, I'll protect you." Gary said as he sat down and put his feet in the water, kicking it a little. I shot him a wry look.

"How noble." I answered then looked at his Pokéballs. "How about you let your Pokémon out to join us? They must be hungry by now." I suggested and he nodded his head.

"Good idea. Come out everyone! It's dinner time!" Suddenly I was surrounded by Pokémon as they burst out of their Pokéballs, most of them I'd never seen before. There was a Tauros and a Scyther, a Hitmonchan and a Poliwrath but two faces I did recognise. Well, sort of.

"Seadra?" I questioned, looked at the long snouted water Pokémon that gazed up at me. "Did you evolve into a Kingdra?" It nodded its head as Wartortle came shooting past, blowing bubbles at me before continuing to enjoy the water. I laughed, swatting at the bubbles then tickled Kingdra's belly before Dratini and Eevee leaped onto Poliwrath's head, beginning to play and I laughed as all the Pokémon settled down.

Charizard looked up to the sky then curled up, placing his head between me and Gary which made me laugh. "Still the jealous type are you?" I questioned. "I wonder what kind of attacks would be weak against it." Mom laughed as she came over, carrying plenty of food.

"Oh I have missed that humour of yours sweetie! Come on now, all of you eat up! We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow. Oh! A Hitmonchan!" Mom quickly put down all the food and ran over to the Hitmonchan who was exchanging blows with a post. "How wonderful! I used to have a Hitmonchan you know, he and my beautiful Hitmonlee where the perfect fighting duo, we used to win all our battles and even had a winning streak of thirty two battles at one point in our prime!" Mom babbled as she inspected the Hitmonchan closely.

"Mom used to be a Battle Girl." I explained to Gary whose confused expression cleared up instantly.

"Oh, that explains it." He said, folding his arms across his chest. "But my Hitmonchan isn't yet at the peak of its training. I've been working on improving its defense as it used to work too much on the offence."

"Wonderful! You obviously have a strong bond with your Pokémon, though when working with fighting Pokémon, you must ensure that the bond is tight so that your energy and strength can become one with your Pokémon's, that's how you win battles!" Mom trilled happily, dancing around with the Hitmonchan who looked very frightened for its life. I sighed and shook my head.

"I'm sorry, my mom is very enthusiastic about Pokémon." I explained as Dratini swam over to me so I smiled. "Hi! Are you hungry? Here, mom picked up some of your favourite." I fed Dratini some mango fruit, holding her cradled in one arm as Gary rubbed his Wartortle's head. He seemed deep in concentration so I didn't disturb him, merely dived underwater and began to swim with the Pokémon. It was only then both mom and dad cried out together.

"Ruby! You're swimming!" I rose up out the water and flicked back my hair, tossing them a proud smile as I laughed.

"Of course! If I'm going to be serious about my future with Pokémon, I had to learn how to swim! So I went to the Three Sensational Sisters for some tutoring. They're Misty's sisters, so they were more than happy to help me out. I can do all kinds of tricks!" I told them before diving under to chase my Dratini.

Once everyone was relaxed and fed, we all got ready for bed, though before I went to change, mom quickly grabbed my shoulders to spin me around and literally pushed me forwards over the ground, making my feet slide and skid. "Hurry, hurry, hurry! Mister Blaine has something to tell you!" She sang happily, bouncing excitedly from foot to foot.

"What do you mean mom? What's going on?" I asked as I was escorted to the front of the inn where Gary stood at the door, preparing to leave but he held on for a moment, turning to look at me then to Blaine who was smirking slightly with his arms folded. "Mister Blaine?"

"I was very impressed with how you handled your Pokémon when battling Areodactyl, Ruby." He began slowly, locking his intense eyes on mine. "And furthermore when you managed to capture it with the help of your Charizard, and then go on to show a powerful l connection with it. Therefore, I have decided to let you challenge me to a gym battle." My mouth dropped open.

"But…but I don't battle anymore unless I have to and I don't collect badges either. I gave back my first two because I changed my mind about becoming a Pokémon Master." Blaine nodded his head.

"True, but collecting badges is more than just tests of skill. They prove the strength of your Pokémon and the bond you have with them. Each battle brings you closer and in future, you will need badges to be able to show other people your skill and ability to use a Pokémon's strengths to its sull potential. You may have lost a little of your fighting spirit, but your Pokémon haven't." I blinked then looked to see all my Pokémon just outside.

Charizard stood tall and proud in the moonlight, eyes burning with bright flames as Pidgeotto rested on his shoulder, serene and calm though she too looked ready to fight, wings slightly spread as if preparing to fly. At Charizard's feet were Eevee and Dratini, who both wore determined expressions, gazing up at me with spirit and confidence which I haven't seen in a long time. They wanted to battle.

A spark lit in my chest, the eagerness for a tough battle and the yearning to prove myself. Yes, I may have lost the will to battle to prove myself, but my Pokémon still wanted to show me how they trusted me. Do I really think I can do it? Beat Blaine and prove to my Pokémon how much I believe in them?

"Isn't it wonderful darling?" Mom said, putting an arm around me as she beamed. "You can start collecting again and enter the Pokémon League! If you collect all the badges then Pokémon will be more willing to trust you, which will make it easier for you to handle them when you're older. Look! Your father and I even bought you this." She pulled a badge case out of her pocket and placed it in my hands, letting me flip it open to see the eight spaces of the main Kanto gyms.

My dad stepped forwards and put his arm around me also, smiling confidently. "We believe in you, honey and so do your Pokémon. You've come further than either of us ever dreamed you would go and we can see now that you're meant to go much further. So why not go all the way?" Slowly I began to smile, things finally clicking into place. They're right. I can't just give up on one dream just for another, I can still have both.

Spinning around I hugged both my parents tightly, a tear slipping down my cheek. "Thank you." I whispered and they both shrouded me in their hug, smiling and chuckling together. "I won't enter the League because that's not what I want to do right now, but I'll collect all the badges and prove I can be a great Pokémon trainer!" Spinning around I pointed to Gary with a smile. "So you'd better watch out! I'll be catching up to you very soon." He smirked.

"I look forward to the day we battle for real." He answered then stuck out his hand. "Maybe I'll come watch you tomorrow for your battle. I'd like to see how your technique has changed since Pewter City."

"You wait, we'll be hitting with a bang." I proclaimed, grabbing his hand and shaking it. "And you're not even going to know what hit you."

"Oh please, it'll take a long time before you're even close to my league. But maybe one day you might just about get there." He said, smirking again then winked, making me smirk back.

"Just you wait Gary Oaks." He nodded his head, turning to Blaine and my parents.

"Thank you for the evening and meal, it was nice to meet you all." He said, shaking all their hands and mom sighed.

"Oh you're just so charming! Why haven't you ever brought this young man home to dinner before Ruby?"

"Because he may be charming now, but he's still a snotty snob underneath." I answered and Gary gave a little grin.

"At least I'm not a clumsy klutz who falls into lakes and off of cliffs." My face dropped as my mom gasped.

"What? You fell off a cliff? What happened? I demand to know immediately Ruby!" She yelled and I shot Gary a glare.

"Thanks a lot brainless. Now get out of here before I challenge you right here and now!" He smirked then flicked his hand from his head in a sort of lazy salute as he walked back to his car, got in then drove away. Turning around, I finally faced my mother.

"Hey mom…"


	31. Chapter 31

The next morning I woke with Butterfree in my stomach, all fluttering away with my nerves. I was too nervous to eat but I made sure my Pokémon had a good meal before giving them all a health check. Pidgeotto was the one I was worried about. Her wing still needed time to heal, which meant I was one Pokémon down and I couldn't use her in my three on three battle.

"It's alright, I'd much rather you rest and heal properly Pidgeotto rather than risk getting more hurt now." I assured her whilst stroking her feathers. "We've got a long journey ahead of us to collect more badges, so I'll need you in top shape for that which means you need to relax for now."

"Pidgeo." She nodded her head then looked down at Eevee who was rolling on the floor with a ball of wool I had given her. "Pidgeo?"

"Yes, I might need to use Eevee, though I'm not sure if that's fair. She may have high experience, but she's never been in a tough battle like this before. I don't know whether or not it's fair to ask her to battle right now." I sighed but then looked over to Eevee. "Eevee? Can I talk to you for a minute please?"

"Vee!" Eevee nodded and bounced over, bringing her ball with her as Dratini lay curled up in my lap fast asleep.

"Eevee…I know I haven't really battled you properly yet, so I want you to tell me that you're ready for this. You saw Blaine's Pokémon when Ash battled and they were all pretty difficult to beat, so I need to know that you want to do this."

"Vee!" Eevee nodded her head, springing in front of me with eager excitement. "Vee, Vee Vee!" I laughed as she jumped onto my shoulder and licked my cheek, making me giggle and tickle her chin.

"Okay, that's all I needed. I'll use Eevee, Dratini and Charizard for this battle and we'll win! I know we will, because you are all amazingly strong Pokémon and I believe in you." I said to them, looking up at Charizard. "All we have to do is work as a team and we'll be alright." I said, putting my arm around Pidgeotto and smiling at Eevee as one last moment of family time before I had to head down to the gym.

Mom and dad had already stopped by to wish me luck, wearing shirts with my face on it, their faces painted red and blue for my favourite colours and waving large flags in the air. It was enough for me to consider dropping out of the battle.

All the same, I returned everyone to their Pokéballs, picked up Eevee then head up to the volcano mouth where the gym had been moved since the one below had been totally trashed. When I got there, panting for breath, my jaw dropped open.

The layout was literally over the volcano with only a few podiums to move about on which I knew both Eevee and Dratini would be too small to handle. "Vee…"

"I know don't worry." I whispered to her. "I'm not going to risk it. I'll save you for another battle, okay? I don't want to lose you in there so I'm not even going to try." I still had Charizard, it should be enough. He was pretty powerful and had a lot of experience, so I was confident I could manage to make it through with just him.

"Welcome to my gym!" Blaine yelled from the other side. "I trust you are rested well? You're going to need it. I'm not about to go easy on you, so let's get things started. Rapidash! I choose you!" Huh? Rapidash? Blaine hadn't used that Pokémon before!

"Rapidash, very competitive, this Pokémon will chase anything that moves fast in the hopes of racing it." Dexter supplied so I sucked in a deep breath then nodded.

"Okay Charizard, I choose you!" I yelled and threw the Pokéball forwards, catching it again when it flew back. Charizard roared as he came out of his Pokéball, snarling towards Rapidash who lowered its head and pounded a hoof against the ground, scraping it to try and look more intimidating but Charizard wasn't all that impressed. "Easy now Charizard, don't get too cocky. Remember, this is meant to be the seventh badge we battle for, so these Pokémon are going to be pretty high levelled. Let's go!" Charizard roared then rose up into the air as Blaine kicked things off.

"Start with Fire Spin!" Rapidash rose up onto its hind legs and shot a vortex of fire towards Charizard who easily dodged around it, flying over the battlefield as Rapidash began to circle, galloping around and leaping from podium to podium and calling out in frustration.

"Charizard, Wing Attack!" I decided, watching as Charizard then took the dive.

"Rapidash, use Stomp!"

"Change your course Charizard! Hit anywhere but the front!" I countered and smiled as Charizard easily circled around Rapidash as it tried to land a Stomp attack but with one glowing wing, Charizard slammed into it so it was knocked off its hooves and to the ground.

"Rapidash!" Blaine called out as the Pokémon struggled back to its feet.

"Nice hit Charizard, now use Flamethrower!"

"Counter with your own Flamethrower!" I waited, hoping that the plan would work. So far it was, Blaine had done exactly what I had anticipated. So with my parents cheering and gasping in the background, I watched as two powerful Flamethrowers collided.

"Keep going Charizard, you're doing great!" I yelled to him with a smile, watching as the power began to gather. Finally the two attacks exploded so I quickly ordered Charizard to fly low between the rocks and he dived down, missing the explosion but it hit Rapidash full force, making it cry out then land on the broader platform at Blaine's feet.

"Rapidash! Can you still battle?" Rapidash tried to get up but after a moment, fell back down again with a weak cry. "It's alright. You battled a tough opponent and stood your ground. I am proud of you, so take a good rest." Blaine said as he returned Rapidash to its Pokéball. "Quite impressive, but I'm not done yet. Go Rhydon!" There we go, that's a little more like it.

"Charizard, Rhydon is very strong and has a thick hide, so flying and fire attacks won't do much good, I need you to focus on dodging its attacks to wear it down first, okay?" I said quietly to Charizard who nodded his head. "I know you can do it, go Charizard!" I smiled, pointing up to the air so he rose up and glided easily on the thermals.

"Rhydon, use Rock Smash!" Blaine called and Rydon leaped forwards, landing on a column and smashed it up to throw the rocks up into the sky.

"Dodge left! Now right!" I called, giving Charizard an extra pair of eyes. "Now circle around in an arc!" Charizard did so and moved exactly as I wanted to avoid the rocks that came flying up at him, all of them missing their mark.

"Woo! Go Ruby! Go Ruby!" I laughed at mom's cheering, reminded of Gary's cheerleading squad. Turning my attention back I saw Rhydon throwing another set of rocks.

"Alright Charizard, fly a little lower and circle around Rhydon, make yourself an impossible target to strike! Keep him moving!" Charizard dove down and began to circle around the battlefield with speed, causing a rush to hit me as he soared past and I stumbled a step back but then held my ground, holding Eevee to make sure she wasn't blown away.

"Vee! Vee!" Eevee cheered for Charizard as he missed all the rocks.

"Rhydon, use Hyper Beam!" Blaine changed his tactics, going for a more aggressive and powerful attack.

"Watch out Charizard! Remain stationary to see make sure you know where the attack is coming from!" I called and Charizard instantly became still, flapping his wings to remain hovering in the air as light gathered in Rhydon's mouth. The bright burst of energy flew forwards and Charizard dove out the way, missing the attack by bare inches as Rhydon prepared another attack. "Charizard, hit the Hyper Beam with your Flamethrower!" I called and he turned, opening his mouth to send a jet of fire forwards.

The two attacks collided and instantly blew up into a massive explosion, hitting both before either could move to stop them. Charizard slammed into a pillar, making him groan from the hit and I gasped with worry. "Charizard!"

"Vee!" Charizard slipped down but shook his head, flapping his wings to get airborne again.

"Charizard are you alright?" He nodded his head with a grunt, landing on a podium to get some rest and recover, glaring at Rhydon who was now on one knee, shaking slightly as it tried to stand.

"Rhydon, can you battle still?" Rhydon nodded his head and stood up, glaring with equal fire at Charizard who growled at the back of his throat, narrowing his eyes to near slits so I thought quickly. How could I beat Rhydon? He's pretty heavy, Charizard might not be able to lift him up to use Seismic Toss, but if I don't think of something fast, we're going to be lava soup! "Rhydon, use Mega Punch! Go!"

Rhydon's fist began to glow and he raced forwards, leaping easily from platform to platform at Charizard who waited for my order. An idea suddenly struck to mind. "Okay Charizard, when Rhydon get's close, dodge his attack and grab his arm, I want you to swing him around for a Slam attack!" I called and Charizard nodded his head.

Barely a moment later Charizard had to leap to the right to get out of the way but gripped Rhydon's arm with both his hands, swinging him around by using the momentum Rhydon had gather for himself then flung him, slamming him into a rock column which smashed to pebbles and Rhydon struck three more before going perfectly still, groaning. "Rhydon return!" Blaine quickly called and his Pokémon was brought back to rest.

Charizard landed on a podium, hardly out of breath and still kicking for another battle. "You've done well so far, but this last Pokémon of mine, as you know, might be too hot for a little girl like you to even handle!"

"My Charizard and I can handle anything!" I yelled back.

"Magmar, I choose you!" There were no theatrics this time, Magmar appered with a flash of light from his Pokéball with a low groan, looking at Charizard and instantly flames sparked all over its body, rising to the challenge.

"Okay Charizard. If Ash can beat Magmar with his Charizard then we can do the same. Right?" Charizard roared in agreement, flapping his wings once with anticipation.

"Magmar, use Fire Blast!" Blaine yelled and before I could do anything to get Charizard out of the way, a fire symbol shot towards my Pokémon.

"Charizard!" I cried out in fear but then Charizard did the most amazing thing. He lifted himself up into the air and spun around, beating his wings and the fire began to roll around him, spinning it into a fiery caccoon which completely engulfed Charizard but then with a fast spread and flap of his wings, the fire disappeared and Charizard stood there, still battle ready and almost unaffected by the attack.

Blaine gasped in horror as my mom and dad cheered. "Go Ruby! Go Charizard! Go Ruby! Go Charizard!"

"You can do it Ruby!" I heard a voice yell and I blinked in surprise, turning to see Gary there. He gave a little salute and smiled, nodding his head. "You got this." He was here? Watching the battle? Well, at least he gets to see the grand finale, let's heat up this battle!

"Okay Charizard, I want you to use Growl on Magmar!" I ordered, spreading a hand out towards Magmar and Charizard instantly roared, the air vibrating as it hit Magmar and lowered his attack capability. "Now grab Magmar and fly him up into the air, let's take away his ground then use Rage!" Charizard instantly darted forwards, hands outstretched for Magmar.

"Magmar, use Fire Punch!"

"Just like Rhydon, grab that arm!" I countered and Charizard nodded his head. Magmar swung a flaming fist at Charizard but my Pokémon darted out the way and grabbed Magmar's arm, flapping his wings to shoot up into the air.

"No! Magmar!" Charizard's eyes glowed a flaming red and once Magmar was high up in the air, he let go then dove down, ramming the other Pokémon with his Rage attack which hammered into Magmar as it groaned from each blow, unable to come back on it. "Magmar, use Smokescreen!" My eyes widened as Magamr suddenly shrouded both himself and Charizard in a thick smog, making him cough against it as he now struggled to see.

"Charizard, get out of there! Fly before Magmar can attack!"

"Feint Attack!" Blaine countered and as Charizard tried to get away but Magmar managed to get in front and powered into Charizard, knocking him clean out the sky with a roar.

"No! Charizard!" Charizard began to fall, plummeting down towards the volcano mouth before smashing into the rocks, his claws scrabbling to dig in and slow him down so that he didn't fall into the lava. I sighed with relief but saw that Charizard was now beginning to struggle, tired from the last two fights. "Charizard, do you need to rest?" I asked and he looked at me and shook his head but as he did so, he winced in pain. "Charizard, now is not the time to be brave. I know you are doing your best to win this battle for me and you're doing amazingly well, but you've already battled two other tough opponents and you won't last much longer. You need to know your limits if you're going to grow stronger, so I'll ask again, do you need to rest?" I told him in my best authoritive voice, putting my hands on my hips as he gazed up at me.

He panted for breath, trembling and sweating. Although he hadn't taken much damage, he'd be a sitting duck out there if he can't keep up with Magmar and dodge his attacks. Charizard finally seemed to realise this as he gave a deep sigh then nodded. With a peaceful smile I nodded back and lifted his Pokéball. "Return Charizard, I'm very proud of you." I said to him as he went back into his Pokéball. Who should I use now?

"Come on little girl, I don't have all day." Suddenly I had an idea. It was crazy and possibly a little on the insane side, but it was worth a go. My other two Pokémon were too small to compete with Magmar effectively, though I didn't doubt there they had a chance of winning, however I couldn't risk them getting hurt. I needed a Pokémon that could fly.

I needed…Areodactyl.

"Areodactyl go!" I called and flung the Pokéball forwards. Instantly everyone gasped, even Gary who stared as Areodactyl came out of his Pokéball with a shrill prehistoric cry, flapping his wings then began to circle. When he saw me, however, he dove down and landed on a column, glaring at me slightly but I held my ground. "I need your help Areodactyl, I need you to battle Magmar for me so I can win a badge. How would you like to put your skills to the test?"

Aerodactyl snorted then looked away, using one of the claws on his wings to scratch his chest. Placing a hand on my hip I arched an eyebrow. "Oh I get it, you're scared, aren't you?" I questioned and Areodactyl froze in place for a moment before bellowing at me. "No I understand, Magmar is a little scary isn't he? Never mind, you'd better return then and I'll use Eevee to take down that other Pokémon."

In answer Areodactyl flew up into the air to turn around then landed, prepared to attack Magmar who looked with concern back to Blaine. "This will be easy. This Pokémon is totally uncontrollable Magmar, you'll have no problem taking down that old fossil, so let's kick things off and end them with Fire Blast!"

"Areodactyl, use Scary Face!" I retorted and Areodactyl instantly flew forwards. To my shock, he flew _right through_ the Fire Blast attack. I blinked in surprise then turned to Gary, wondering if he had an answer.

"Maybe Areodactyl is resistant to fire type attacks." He answered with a shrug. "And he seems a pretty strong Pokémon, so don't be too surprised if you have the advantage here." I grinned.

"Alright!" Turning back I watched as Areodactyl loomed over Magmar, using the Scary Face attack and it jumped backwards in slight fear. "Awesome Areodactyl, now use Hyper Beam!" Aerodactyl flew back a few paces and as he did so, opened his massive jaws to gather a ball of energy there, creating space as Magmar recovered from the Scary Face.

"Magmar, use…" But it was too late. A massive plume of light struck forwars and hit Magmar full on, sending him backwards flying through the air and he landed with a thud on the ground, groaning softly.

"Magmar…" He trembled and tried to get up, managing to stand but then, after a few brief seconds on his feet, he collapsed back down again. "Mag…mar…"

"Return Magmar." Suddenly it dawned on me. I won. I actually won. I won my third gym battle!

"Alright! Woo hoo! Yeah! Go Areodactyl! That was amazing!" I cheered as it screeched, spreading its wings wide before he turned to face me. It gave a low growl then flew forwards, making mom scream in fear and dad faint but I stayed perfectly still, watching as Areodactyl landed before me, looking intently into my eyes. "You enjoyed the battle, didn't you?" I asked and Areodactyl nodded his head. "Well then, if you like, you can do more battling in future." I promised, reaching up and rubbed his face. "I'd like to have you on my team, if'd you'd like to join. I know we can do great things together and I promise to always look after you. We'll be friends, family even."

Areodactly nodded once more then strangely, began to purr. I gasped then giggled as it began to rub his hard face into mine, careful of its teeth before I lifted his Pokéball. "Come on, you deserve a good rest now." I said to him. "Return." He did so without a complaint and I turned to my parents. "I won!"

"That's my girl! You completely obliterated your oppoenents and showed them how we Battle Girls truly battle!" Mom cheered, running forwards and lifting me up into a crushing hug which squeazed all the breath from my body and Eevee squeaked, eyes going wide so I struggled to get out of mom's grip.

"Thanks mom." I laughed then lifted Eevee up towards the sky. "We did it Eevee! We won! We won!" I spun around with her as she squealed, my laughter joining hers until I stopped and found myself face to face with Blaine.

"An excellent battle. You have talent, Ruby, I look forward to seeing the day you finish making something of yourself." He said with a smile then held out his hand. "Here, this is yours now by right. The Volcano Badge!" The little flame sat in the palm of his hand and I took it proudly, lifting it up to the morning light to see it glint before leaping up into the air, Eevee copying my movement as I punched the air with the badge in hand. "Alright!"

"Vee!" Mom crowded over me as I put the badge into its case and I smiled proudly down at it before putting it away. "Vee?"

"Yes Eevee, time for more breakfast I think." I agreed with her thoughtful expression. "I'm starving!"

"Wonderful! Let's go out for breakfast, my treat!" Mom proclaimed, hugging Eevee and I tightly. "You're welcome to come along too Blaine, you too Gary of course." No not Gary!

"Thanks Mrs Bates but I gotta get going. I promised some friends of mine I'd show them how to windsurf." Instantly I knew he was talking about his cheerleading squad. I picked up Eevee and shot him a dark expression.

"And by that you mean you're going to try and show off to the whole world how great you are. I just hope you fall in."

"Ruby!" Dad choked in surprise at me but I ignored him as Gary folded his arms.

"I'm not that clumsy. You manage to fall in all the time. Shall we tell your parents about how you nearly drowned twice in one day?" Instantly my expression became stormy and I towered over Gary, glaring at him angrily.

"You keep your fat mouth shut you jerk!"

"Don't call me a jerk, you're the twerp!" I growled, whole body tensing as Gary leaned towards me and we got in one another's faces, tempers rising and the rivalry intensified.

"Fine, you're just a vain, dumb moron!" I retaliated, angling my body to keep Eevee out of the line of fire though she struggled in my arms and jumped down, looking up at me with worry as I put my hands on my hips, still glaring at Gary.

"And you're a stuck up, stubborn little brat!"

"Argh…I hate you Gary Oak!" I yelled at him and he smirked darkly, our nose only a hair's bredth apart from one another.

"That the best you got? I'm disappointed in you Rubes." Finally my anger burst free like a Charizard using Inferno.

"RAAARGH! DON'T CALL ME 'RUBES'!" We both glared at one another, not another word passing between us but then we both noticed the adults staring at us.

"And I thought my fire Pokémon had a temper." Blaine mused with a shocked expression.

"I never knew my Ruby had such a little tempest inside her. This is a whole new light I'm seeing." Dad agreed but mom just clapped her hands and laughed.

"Oh it's so romantic!" Instantly I retched and took a large step back from Gary.

"Gross. That is never going to happen mom, so don't even think about it. Come on Eevee, let's go get some food." I said as I began to walk away.

"Vee!" She bounced after me, stopping only to rub her head against Gary who looked down with surprised confusion but before he could say or do anything, Eevee was racing after me.


	32. Chapter 32

My parents and I stayed at the Big Riddle Inn but during the day, I dedicated my time to learning all about the Pokémon at the research centre. Occasionally I took a day off to spend with my parents and it was nice to go walking through the streets and totally binge shop with mom whilst dad took us to visit all the museums, art galleries and nature trails, which were his favourite parts.

Mom wasn't so big on the museums and art galleries but I loved them, as it gave me more time to learn about Pokémon and history as well as looking at amazing interpretations of artists' and how they cast their feelings into their work.

Kyle and I became close working pals, spending pretty much all our time together. He came with us several times on our trips, helping to carry mom's numerous bags and she'd pinch his cheek and call him a sweetheart each time he picked up another bag. It was quite a sport shopping with my mom, it was very hard to see her as an ex Battle Girl.

"So how long are your parenst staying?" Kyle asked on one of our rare days off with just the two of us. I took another lick of my ice cream before answering, seeing it was boiling hot and I was desperate to cool down.

"Well, I think they're leaving in three days and they're trying to get me to go with them which I'm beginning to think is a good idea." I said with a shrug. "I need to get back on my journey and continue training before I become a big ice cream loving softie." I grinned and he laughed, wiping his hands as he finished the strawberry ice cream he had selected.

"Vee!" Eevee put in, licking he lips so I giggled then shared some of my ice cream with her.

"Not too much now, it's really cold and I don't want you to get brain freeze." I warned her so she let me scoop some off with my finger and she licked it carefully, happily smiling as she did so. "Good girl." I beamed, tickling her chin when she was done. "How about we play some ball?"

"Vee!" Eevee instantly sprang off my shoulder and crouched down, ready to spring after the ball which I fished out of my bag.

"You joining in?" I asked Kyle but he shook his head.

"Nah, I'm not into childish games really." I blinked at him, slightly surprised but didn't comment on the tone that I didn't like him using. He sounded way to up himself. Besides, he's not that much older than I was, so he could still play games like every other kid on this beach!

"Oh…okay." I said then turned to Eevee. "Get ready Eevee, this is going to be a big one!" I called then flung the ball forwards after dropping my back onto Kyle's head after he had lay back on a deck chair, making him yell and fall out. "Take care of that for me!" I yelled then raced after Eevee as she hurtled after the ball.

"Vee! Vee! Vee!" She breathed as she ran with each bound, following after the ball before leaping up into the air. She opened her mouth and caught the ball with a swish of her tail, landing elegantly down on the sand then turned to face me, making me beam.

"Alright! Great catch Eevee, let's go again!" I threw it as far as I could back the other way, running with her to keep myself in shape. We played ball on the sand until I accidentally threw it into the water but Eevee sprang right after it, diving into the waves then paddled against them easily, making everyone coo and snap photos of her as she picked up the ball then swam back towards me.

Suddenly a large shape rose out of the water, lifting Eevee up onto the broad shell and I gasped as she called out with fear, staring at the Blastoise that appeared. "Blastoise!" It drawled, lifting his arms up high then swam forwards out of the water, carrying Eevee who suddenly beamed and sat down on Blastoise's shell.

"Vee!" Blastoise climbed out of the water and faced me as I stared up at it, shocked at how big these Pokémon actually were.

"Blaaaastoise." It greeted then blew a few bubbles in my face. I blinked in surprise before it clicked.

"Hey! It's you!" I beamed then flung my arms around its neck, making it smile and rub its head into me. "You've grown big little guy! Ha, Gary must have done some extra training since I last saw you, you look awesome!" I said, stepping back and caught Eevee as she jumped down from Blastoise and into my arms.

"Blaaast." Blastoise nodded his head, seemingly proud of himself as he then drew himself up to his full height. Chuckling I looked to Eevee then to Blastoise.

"How about you join in with the game?" I suggested and he looked down at me, cocking his head to the side curiously. "We'll play in the water and you can carry Eevee as I throw the ball around, how does that sound?" Blastoise instantly nodded his head.

"Blaaastoise!" He agreed and Eevee instantly climbed up his arm and settled on his shell as Blastoise turned and went back into the water.

"Alright! You ready?" I called and Blastoise spurted out a Water Gun attack towards me in answer, making me squeal with laughter as I leaped out the way. "Okay! Play ball go!" I shouted and flung it forwards with all my might. It went pretty far out into the ocean and Blastoise hurtled forwards, Eevee surfing on his back and she squealed with excitement, bouncing up and down.

Blastoise picked up the ball in his mouth then shot it back towards me with Water Gun, letting it fly through the air and I ran to catch it, springing over someone bathing in the sun before feeling the ball land squarely in my hand. "Nice try Blastoise, you'll have to do better than that!" I called back triumphantly. "Come on, I know you can go faster than that, let's try again!"

So we threw it back and forth between us, racing up and down the beach and causing quite a bit of havoc amongst the people as I was constantly leaping and jumping over people and sometimes Blastoise's Surf managed to spray a load of people nearby, though the kids loved it.

After a long play, I finally crashed down on the sand and gave out, gasping for breath. "Ugh…it's too hot to go on." I mumbled. Water suddenly crashed down on me and I leaped up with a yell, shielding my face from Blastoise's powerful water attack. "Okay! Okay thank you! That's more than enough!" I laughed and the spray stopped, though I couldn't hide the giggle. "That's just what I needed, thanks Blastoise." Though my clothes are now all completely soaked.

"Oh look girls, it's the sad little loser." Someone said and I turned to see Gary's cheerleaders all standing there in cute little bathing suits, looking at me with unimpressed expressions. "Look at those clothes, they're all totally washed out."

"And that hat, it's totally something not even my grandpa would wear." Another agreed and they all laughed. My cheeks flushed bright red and I turned away, lifting my hands to pick Eevee up off of Blastoise's back.

"Look at her hair! Its definately something out of a horror movie, there's more tangles and knots on her head than a Tangela!" Growling I spun around and faced them, holding Eevee in my arms as she glared at them too.

"Just because I might not be so prissy and fussy about my looks as you, doesn't give you the right to comment on it! You live the easy life but I've got to be out on the road and in the wild competing to get all my badges, so why don't you all _back off_ and leave me alone?" The leader of them scoffed.

"You don't scare us. Your Pokémon aren't even all that tough or scary, so how far do you really expect to get? You got snatched up by that Areodactyl but no wonder it didn't eat you for lunch, I'd spit out something that disgusting too if you were served up to me." Hurt flashed through my face so I turned and began to walk away. "Coward!"

"Yeah, loser! Coward!" Tears began to spring to my eyes at their words. I am not a coward, or disgusting, or a loser! At least when Gary calls me names he does it just because I do and I know he never really means anything to hurt me. These girls were just being spiteful and malicious.

"Blastoise!" Blastoise moved to follow after me but he paused and looked to the girls. Pausing I looked back as he aimed his cannons at them.

"No Blastoise." I sniffed, giving a smile. "They're not worth it. You should go find Gary, he's bound to be worried about you." I turned around only to bump into someone. "Oh! I'm so sorry, I didn't see you…" I trailed off when I saw who it was. "Oh it's just you."

"Well what do you know? It's the…have you been crying?" Gary's smug face instantly dropped to one of concern as he lifted his hands and rested them on my shoulders. "And you're soaked, what happened?"

"Nothing." I looked away but Blastoise came up behind me and began to point to the girls as they giggled and waved at Gary.

"Blastoise, Blaaast Blastoise!"

"Huh?" Gary listened then began to put two and two together.

"It's nothing." I quickly interjected, pulling my shoulders free and looked down so that Gary wouldn't be able to see me wiping away the tears as I was now pulling myself together. Get a grip Ruby, they're just little princesses who don't have any idea about anything. I shouldn't let their words hurt me.

"Were they hurting you? You can tell me Ruby." Gary said calmly, letting me have my space. "I'll tell them to stay away from you if you want?"

"No!" I glared at him. "I'm _fine_." With that I shoved past him and strode back to where Kyle was sunbathing in utter relaxation, Eevee trotting along at my heels though she looked up at me in concern.

"Vee?"

"I'm okay Eevee, I promise." I assured her, putting on a brave face. "Come on, we promised to meet mom and dad at that restaurant and we've only got ten minutes until we have to be there." I reminded her and she instantly brightened.

"Vee Vee!" Chuckling I grabbed my bag then prodded Kyle awake, making him grunt with a slight snort as he shot bolt upright.

"Wha…huh? Oh hey Ruby, what's up?"

"I've got to go now and meet my parents for dinner. I'll see you tomorrow?" I asked and he nodded his head with a smile.

"Sure, I'll walk you over. Don't want you getting lost now do we?" I blushe a little with embarrassment. The last time I'd tried to navigate the island on my own ended up in a long trek through the night trying to find my way back only to end with me stuck on the wrong side of town and I had to call Kyle to get directions back.

"Thanks." I said to him, picking up Eevee after I'd slung on my backpack then followed him back into the city. "It's the Hot Rock restaurant in the main square." I informed him. "Do you know where you're going?"

"Sure, it's this way." He pointed ahead to so I followed without question. It was a pleasant walk, with plenty of people who said hello and I greeted them back. Everyone was so friendly here, it was nice. It didn't take long to get to the restaurant, however had I tried to get there on my own I bet it would have taken me at least an hour. There were so many stalls and streets it got confusing as to where you were.

"So this is it. Have a nice dinner, I'll see you tomorrow." Kyle said with a beaming smile so I smiled back.

"Thanks, you're a real life saver." He shrugged.

"Well…maybe. Goodnight Ruby." Giving a little wave he turned and walked away. I entered the restaurant and instantly spotted my mom. It was kinda hard not to, since she was wearing bright flamenco clothing and a large brimmed hat.

"Yoo hoo! Over here darling!"

"Oh great…" I muttered as Eevee pulled a confused face.

"Vee?" Shaking my head with a smile I then sighed.

"I don't know Eevee, I think she's just mad. Completely crazy." I told her and she beamed with a bright laugh.

"Vee!" I walked over to the table then quickly put Eevee down before mom could crush us both in a powerful hug.

"How has your day been? Oh and your date with that Kyle fellow, did that go well? I want to know all the details!" Mom instantly demanded, sitting down and putting her chin on her hands, looking expectantly at me as I hugged dad then sat down.

"It wasn't a date mom, we were just hanging out." I told her with a little flush to my cheeks. "We're just friends doing research together." She arched an eyebrow at me then chuckled.

"Well, it seems to me that you might have a little crush on him, you're blushing right now!"

"Am not!" I argued then looked imploringly at dad who cleared his throat quickly.

"Alright, shall we order?"

"Vee!" Eevee agreed so I laughed then settled her on my lap, tickling her chin before lifting the menu to see what there was to eat and what I fancied. "Vee Vee, Vee!" Eevee lifted a paw and scraped gently at a picture of spaghetti bolagnaise, one of her favourite meals so I giggled.

"Alright, we'll order that one." I decided and she squirmed in my lap in excitement.

"Vee!" Mom and dad chatted to me about their day and how they loved the spa treatments here, telling me that we should come back on a full vacation without me working also and I heartily agreed. This lavish life is something I could get used to. With all the facial treatments, hot spring baths, daily workouts and training, I was seriously beginning to get a physique to be proud of.

"Oh and I hope you don't mind sweetie, but I invited Gary here also." I almost leaped out of my seat in shock. What did she do that for? This was meant to be a _family_ meal! Not with Gary Oaks breathing down my neck, and just after he'd seen me cry!

"But-but-but…why?" I stammered, glancing around. "Oh well, looks like he's a no show. How terrible." Mom rolled her eyes.

"He's over by the door, silly." Damn. Slowly I turned around and sure enough, there he stood, speaking to the waitress who pointed out our table and he looked up. Instantly I turned my head, not wanting to let him catch me watching him.

We were at a four seater table and the only spare seat was next to me. Just perfect. He approached with a smile and nodded to my parents. "Good evening Mr and Mrs Bates. Mrs Bates, you look very bright and lovely this evening." She giggled at his charm as he took the seat next to me.

"Oh you charmer, thank you very much Gary, but please call me Ceilia." Gary nodded his head then looked at the menu.

"I'm sorry I'm late, have we already ordered?"

"No, no my boy, we've been waiting for you. Please, take your time. The night is still young as you kids say." Dad answered then turned to me. "So, tell me about Areodactyl. How are you getting along with it?" Ah, about that…

"Okay I guess, we still have a few issues with obedience but I guess that's because I'm a little inexperienced myself. Though since his temperament is much like Charizard's used to be, it's not so hard to get him back onto my side." I explained and dad listened carefully whilst nodded, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. "And he really loves to battle, so it's just working on communication really. The guys back at the lab love to study him, though he gets irritated if they crowd him too much. I think he's still a bit scared of them."

"You're doing wonderfully my girl. I always knew you were meant to be a great trainer. Perhaps you and Gary should have a battle, that would really test your skills." He suggested then looked at Gary who had lifted his head. "What do you think my boy?"

"I think it's a great idea sir, battling against me will really give Ruby some experience, seeing as I'm quite advanced myself." His voice and attitude was really beginning to bug me. "I don't have any issues with my Pokémon and they're all greatly experienced, so maybe a full on battle wouldn't be fair, seeing as one of Ruby's Pokémon is still recovering and two others are so tiny. Maybe a one on one battle would be better." I growled under my breath then slammed my hands on the table, making Eevee jump and blink up at me.

"My Pokémon can handle _you,_ Gary Oaks, in fact, how about we make this a little interesting? You battle with one of my Pokémon and I'll battle with one of yours. That way we'll get to see who the better trainer really is." I challenged, glaring at him heartily as he rose to meet the challenge.

"You're on. How about tomorrow morning at eight? There's a quiet part of the beach we can use that I know of, we'll have plenty of room to get this settled."

"Done. I'll meet you there and you'd better be ready for a serious butt kicking!"

"Likewise Rubes." My skin turned a dark shade of red as my eyes narrowed but I swallowed down my anger in a large gulp, taking a deep breath before looking to the waitress who had just appeared.

"I'll have a spaghetti bolagnaise, please."


	33. Chapter 33

The morning brought nerves. I don't know why but I was more nervous about this battle than I had been when I was going to face Blaine. I thought about which Pokémon I should let Gary battle with and I was tempted to give him Charizard, as I knew he wouldn't listen to a single thing Gary said, but then I couldn't bring myself to battle _against_ him, so I scrapped that idea. I'll lend him Areodactyl instead.

Eevee was still sleeping, curled up on the bed but it was nearly time to go, so I gently woke her up. "Vee?" She questioned then gave a large yawn, making me giggle at her adorable face.

"Rise and shine little one! We've got a big battle ahead of us and we've got to get moving or we'll be late." I said to her and instantly she was bounding to her feet.

"Vee! Vee!"

"Uh huh, we're going to beat that Gary like a drum. You wait and see." She nodded her head then sprang up to my shoulder, settling there as I found us some breakfast in the kitchen. I cut up some fruit, found some yoghurt then lay it out on the table for Eevee and I to share, as she loved apples and yoghurt.

"Tah dah!" My parents called loudly together and I practically leaped out of my chair in shock, recoiling to see their faces once more painted, flags waving in my face and pop streamers shooting out in all directions as they cheered. "Go Ruby go! Go Ruby go!" Mom giggled as she placed a hand on her chunky hip. "I can't wait to see my little baby fight again, it's so exciting!" Dad sniffed, wiping tears from his eyes which only smeared his face paint into a horrible pallet of blue and red.

"My little girl, she's so grown up…I can't handle it!"

"Woah dad! Mom! Take it easy!" I gasped for breath, recovering from the shock before settling back down again. "You're not seriously coming to watch me battle Gary are you?" I questioned with slight concern. "Shouldn't you be packing to leave?" Mom wagged her finger at me and shook her head before dumping several bags on the table, all of them overflowing with new clothes, gifts, souvenirs and heaven knows what else.

"Vee!" Eevee gasped then leaped into my arms off the table to avoid being crushed and I instantly hugged her to me.

"All packed and ready to go! Our flight doesn't leave until later this afternoon so we have plenty of time to see how big and strong you've grown since leaving." Mom informed me then ruffled my hair. "Remember, always wait for the opening before attacking, and don't never ever let your guard down. It's in your Battle Girl blood!" Mom plastered a large kiss on my cheek, making me groan as dad gave a slightly guilty laugh whilst I suffered through mom's smothering, Eevee only just get out of the firing range.

"Okay, okay I get it." I sighed, lowering my head. "I guess I can't stop you so come on." Pushing myself up out of my seat I moved Eevee to my shoulder and rubbed her head as I left the inn.

"Vee?"

"I'm just a little worried, that's all Eevee. Gary's a pretty tough Pokémon trainer, I've seen that through how strong his Pokémon are, but if how can I bring myself to fight against Areodactyl? Do you think he'll understand that's its just another type of training exercise?" I questioned and she gave me a bright, cheerful smile.

"Vee!"

"Haha! I thought so. Come on! Let's go find that loser and whip his butt!" I cheered, punching the air with Eevee situated firmly on my shoulder.

"Oh coo eeh!" Instantly my race ahead slowed as I exhaled and my shoulders slumped.

"Yes mom?"

"Honey, don't you want to get your face painted too? We made sure to wear your favourite colours, red and blue! Red and blue!" Mom giggled as she came at me with a sponge dipped in face paint which I instantly shrank back from.

"Uh…no thanks mom! I think I'll keep my normal face today. Just in case I distract my opponent, which would be totally unfair and not sportsmanship at all." I said with a smile, shaking my head. Mom gave it a moment's thought before beaming proudly.

"That's my girl! Let's go!" She grabbed my hand and physically dragged both dad and I all the way down to the beach at least three steps ahead. I gave dad a look and he grinned at me, waving a little flag with my face on it.

"So what Pokémon are you going to give Gary to use?" He asked curiously and I gave a sly little smirk.

"Aerodactyl." Dad blinked at me in surprise but then gave a little laugh.

"I see. So you're not going to go easy on Gary then, are you?" Shaking my head as mom dragged us along I jogged to try and keep up.

"Of course not. If he thinks he's so great then he'll have no problem with Areodactyl, let's see if he can prove to everyone what kind of trainer he is." Just as we got down to the beach, mom skidded to a halt then began to wave.

"Gary! Over here sweetie!" Instantly I put up my guard, watching as Gary turned around from the pier to look towards us. He gave a small smile then approached, nodding his head in the early morning sun.

"Good morning Mrs Bates, Mr Bates, I hope you both had a refreshing night's sleep?" He questioned and my mom giggled, gripping his cheek and pinched it tightly, making his eyes bulge widely in pain as she beamed down at him.

"Aw cutie! You're such a little sweetheart, I'll have to tell your grandpa all about how big and grown up you are Gary! So, shall we get this battle on the way? I just can't wait to see you two go head to head against one another, it's exciting!" Letting go of his face mom then slipped her arm around him, lifted her camera high then snapped a photo of them both, grinning from ear to ear as Gary still recovered.

"Well Gary, what Pokémon have you decided to let Ruby use this morning?" Dad asked, clapping a gentle hand onto Gary's shoulder and he turned a smile up to him.

"Just wait and see. Come on, I'll show you the battleground." He gestured for us to follow so I looked down at Eevee who gave a confident nod then turned to watch Gary walk ahead with my parents.

"Well, here goes nothing." I sighed then hurried to catch up with the others. Gary led us around the beach to then climb over some rocks, however when I stood up and looked at the beach, all I could do was stop and stare. The waves glittered prettily on the white picturesque sand, washing back and forth with soft frothy foam. Palm trees swayed in the gentle breeze as the cliff on our right rose up high above us, seemingly reaching up to touch the sky.

"Wow…how come no one ever comes here?" I asked, letting go of Eevee so she could jump down herself and I began to descend.

"The tide comes in pretty quickly but it won't come in for another hour or so, so we have plenty of time and there should be enough space for a battle." Gary answered, turning to look around. I took a jump to get down the last big rock but his hands both darted out and caught me as I landed, ensuring steady footing as he smirked. "Careful, don't fall over and hurt yourself Rubes." Shooting him a dark look I considered giving him a round house kick to the face but before I could make my final decision, he had let me go and was walking ahead.

"So Gary dear, what Pokémon will you be letting my Ruby use?" Mom nosed, keeping close to Gary as he then stopped a fair distance away so I rooted myself to the spot, glaring over to him with conversation but then looked to dad.

"You are on my side, right?" I questioned and he gave a laugh and a thumb's up.

"Sure am my girl, I'm rooting for you all the way." He promised as Gary picked up a Pokéball.

"Well, seeing as Ruby knows one or two of my Pokémon, I thought I'd be nice and lend her an aquaintence." He said then flung the Pokéball forwards. "Go Nidoking!" My eyes widened and mouth gaped slightly as Nidoking appeared with a flash, lifting his head high to roar with a powerful stance. Whoa…I'm kind of glad I'm not battling against it. "Nidoking, we're doing things a little differently today." Gary announced and Nidoking turned to look with intense confusion.

"Nidoking?"

"Yup. You're going to be Ruby's partner and I'm going to battle with one of her Pokémon. This'll help us learn how to battle different Pokémon but it'll also improve our strategy for defeating everyone, okay?"

"Nidoking!" Swallowing I picked up the Pokéball of my own choice.

"Alright then, you chose Nidoking? Well I hope you're up for a challenge Gary Oak, because I choose for you Areodactyl!" My prehistoric friend came flying out of the Pokéball with a screech, flapping his broad wings and soared overhead before landing next to me, glaring over at Nidoking who instantly growled back. "Right Areodactyl, this is just another type of training exercise, okay? We're working on how you respond to tactics and orders given to you, so you've got to do your best and listen okay?" I said as I reached up and rubbed his face. "I know you love to battle, so you're going to partner with Gary and help me train to get stronger too, alright?" Areodactyl nodded his head with a low screech before rising up into the air. "He's all yours Gary!" I called. "Nidoking! Come over here you big fella!" I laughed, opening my arms as Nidoking came charging over.

"Nidoking!" With a broad smile I leaped up and put my arms as far around Nidoking as I could, hugging him as Eevee danced around his feet.

"Vee! Vee! Vee!" She chimed and Nidoking nodded his head with her, chanting his own name also before then nuzzling my head carefully.

"It's good to see you too little buddy, how about you and I test out that awesome power I saw ages ago?" I said to him, clenching my fist tightly. "You ready to show how great you can be regardless your trainer?"

"Nido!" With a strong thump to his chest with both hammer like hands, Nidoking turned and stomped a foot down, signalling he was ready to battle. "Nidoking!"

"Nothing personal Ruby, but I'm not going to let myself lose to an amautuer such as yourself." Gary said with folded arms, standing proudly beside Areodactyl. "I'll show you what a real battle should be like."

"Bring it!" I shouted back as my parents began to snap photos and cheered.

"Go Ruby! I know you can do it baby!" I groaned slightly. Maybe I should have just given them the slip. I felt a gentle paw touch my leg and I looked down to find Eevee sitting at my side, reaching up with a comforting and confident expression, ears pricked up with attention so I nodded my head.

"Alright, let's do this." I agreed with her as her expression then narrowed into an even more determined look. "Nidoking, let's start with Poison Sting!" I called, pointing up into the air to Aerodactyl who called back in answer and instantly dived down as sharp pellets of light shot out from Nidoking's mouth.

"Agh! Areodactyl, you're meant to wait for my command!" Gary yelled up at Areodactyl as he dived down and tried to charge directly at Nidoking, taking the full hit of the Poison Sting attack. "Areodactyl, use Slam!" Suddenly Areodactyl changed course and flew around with swift speed, forcing Nidoking to turn around but before a moment of breath had passed, Areodactyl had slammed Nidoking down into the sand.

"Get up Nidoking and hurry! Use Ice Punch, get yourself up into the air by jumping!" I called back. "Slam your tail down for extra lift!" Nidoking did exactly as I said, leaping up into the air for an unsuspecting Aerodactyl who was flying overhead. Nidoking rose easily up into the air, his power letting him climb the distance as his fist drew back and began to glow white.

"How did you know I taught Nidoking Ice Punch?" Gary demanded with a gasp as I smirked rather victoriously.

"I've seen you use it before when you were battling other tourists behind the research lab and since Areodactyl is flying type, he has a disadvantage against ice attacks. Go Nidoking!" I punched the air as Nidoking punched upwards, landing a direct hit on Areodactyl who cried out in shock and was thrown off course, flapping his huge wings wildly as Nidoking descended.

"Aerodactyl, use Hyper Beam!"

"Dig Nidoking!" I countered, pointing to the sand. "Escape quickly!" Aerodactyl opened his huge jaws and light began to gather in a small sphere which steadily grew larger but Nidoking plunged down into the sand and buried his way through, though I knew the end attack wouldn't land a hit on Areodactyl seeing as he was up in the air and it was almost impossible to pinpoint his position without Nidoking being able to see.

"Areodactyl, fly up high out of reach!" Gary answered and Areodactyl clamped his jaws shut, cancelling the Hyper Beam and flew up higher, searching the ground as Nidoking continued to burrow underneath.

Suddenly I felt the sand shift and before I could take a breath, Nidoking leaped upwards, causing sand to go flying everywhere so I quickly shielded Eevee, tucking her up into me as I turned away from the spray of the powerful and rather large Pokémon. "Nidoking!"

"Okay Nidoking, let's use Sandstorm on the double." I decided, watching as Nidoking began spin around very quickly, whipping up a sandstorm of great strength which I had to squit to try and see through, holding onto Eevee who cleverly hid her eyes with her long ears to make sure none of the spray got caught.

"Aerodactyl, use Supersonic to locate Nidoking then use Wing Attack!" Gary shouted in return and before I could do anything, Areodactyl had dived down into the thick of the sandstorm and had let out a shrill, piercing sound.

"Use Dig!" I retaliated, however before Nidokign could move a glowing wing streaked towards him and hit square in the chest, throwing him backwards out of the sandstorm which instantly eased up and settled.

"Hyper Beam!"

"Nidoking, use Hyper Beam as well!" My heart beat evenly but loudly, gradually increasing its speed as two Hyper Beams connected halfway, gathering in energy. What could I do? That was a pretty impressive blast and if Nidoking gets caught in it, he'll definitely take some serious damage. "Nidoking, hold on! I know you can do it!" I cheered, urging Nidoking onwards and he growled determinedly in reply.

"Keep it steady Areodactyl, you're doing excellent." Gary watched as the gathering ball of energy continued to grow and finally, it exploded all at once. "Fly high!"

"Use Screech!" I yelled randomly, hoping that it would counter the effect the way I hoped it would. The piercing sound left Nidoking's powerful jaws and Eevee whimpered so I held her close to me, pressing on her ears to try and block out most of the sound.

Slim waves of energy rippled out from Nidoking and struck the Hyper Beam explosion, forming a sort of barrier which protected Nidoking from the blast. "Alright!" I cheered as Nidoking closed his mouth and nodded, pleased with himself.

However before I could celebrate, Areodactyl shot through the mass of smoke and slammed into Nidoking with Wing Attack, throwing him backwards and into the sand. "Oh no! Nidoking!"

"Aerodactyl, use Crunch!" The strong jaws clamped down on Nidoking's arm and he roared, shaking and waving it in an attempt to get Areodactyl off but he hung on easily, glaring with beady yellow eyes.

"Nidoking stay calm, you're okay!" I called out to him. "Just relax and trust me. Now that you have Aerodactyl right where you want him, use Slam!" Nidoking nodded his head then charged forwards, forcing Areodactyl ahead of him as he lowered his head and raced up to the cliff.

"Areodactyl, let go and fly up now." Areodactyl let go and leaped upwards, flapping his wings to gain ground as Gary stood there with perfect calmness and ease. Nidoking skidded to a halt, trying to stop his attack but instead he struck the base of the cliff with considerable force, knocking himself backwards to the ground.

"No! Nidoking are you okay?" I asked as Nidoking turned over and tried to get up.

"Hyper Beam, now!" Gary pointed and before I could blink, Aerodactyl had opened his mouth and was shooting a charged beam down at Nidoking who only had time to look up in shock before he was struck.

"No!" I took a step forwards, watching in horror as Nidoking was swallowed by the attack. "Nidoking!" I heard his answering roar, the boom of the blast engulfing everything as the smoke broiled and rose up before gradually disappearing. My heart hammered nervously in my chest, looking to see if Nidoking was alright.

Eventually the smoke left and I was faced with Areodactyl settled on the ground neatly, looking at Nidoking who was collapsed on the ground and not moving. "Nidoking!" I raced forwards, letting Eevee jump out of my arms and raced over to the fallen Pokémon. "Nidoking, are you alright? Can you move?"

"Nido…king…" He groaned in answer, trying to struggle upwards but only managed a small shift before he collapsed back down again so I knelt by his head and rubbed his face, giving him a soft, comforting smile.

"It's alright. You just rest now. You deserve it." I said to him then looked over to Areodactyl. "And you were brilliant. You've definitely become stronger since we first met." I gave a broad grin then stood up as Gary returned Nidoking to his Pokéball. "Return now." As I picked up Areodactyl's Pokéball the Pokémon turned to Gary and began to rub his nose into his face, making Gary laugh as Areodactyl then stuck out his long tongue and licked him. I watched carefully, pausing in my movement to observe the interaction.

"You were great Aerodactyl, I'm glad I got a chance to battle with you buddy." Once Areodactyl was safely back inside I turned around to face Gary. He looked down with a smug expression but I shoved that aside for the moment, looking down to Areodactyl's Pokéball then back at Gary. They had really battled well with each other, Aerodactyl had listened to Gary more than he had ever listened to me. It was like they were on exactly the same wavelength.

"Here." I decided finally, picking up Gary's hand and placed Aredactyl's Pokéball in it. "I want you to take him with you." I informed him and Gary's expression instantly dropped.

"You…what?" He blinked and stared down at the Pokéball. "Rubes, you can't give me your Areodactyl, you're the one who caught him and you've bene training so hard with him!" I gave a little shrug, surprised by how the nickname didn't bother me.

"I saw whilst you two were battling how in tune you were with each other. I can just about get Aredactyl to do what I want in a battle but you didn't even have to argue with him. I think he'll get along better with a trainer like you who knows what you're doing. He really wants to battle and explore the world, so show him some really tough and amazing battles for me, okay?" I asked pleadingly though I couldn't help but smile. "It's what's best for him."

"Well…if you're sure…" Gary said hesitantly, trying to find a catch. "I'll take good care of him." Nodding my head I took a step back, Eevee winding her way through my legs.

"I know you will. Just remember he likes mangos and fish so don't worry about him trying to eat your other Pokémon." I teased as mom and dad finally reached us from the safe distance they had put themselves at to avoid being caught in the battle.

"That was an amazing battle!" Mom cheered, leaping up and down. "Ruby, although you didn't win, you have to see how much stronger you've become since you left Pallet Town. When you first left, all you had was a grouchy little Charmander and a Pidgey, but now you've grown into battling on a whole new level." She sniffed, wiping tears from her eyes. "I'm so proud of you baby!"

"Thanks mom." I grunted as she pulled me into a crushing hug. "And thank you Gary, you really showed me a lot about me as a trainer, my strengths and weaknesses, so I'll be sure to practice and train hard so that next time we battle, I'll totally whip you!" I beamed and dad laughed, clapping a hand onto my shoulder.

"That's my girl." He said then ruffled my hair. "How about a photo? Just the two of you with all your Pokémon? That'll be a memory worth capturing, don't you think sweetheart?" He asked mom who instantly squealed and clapped her hands.

"Oh yes ! Come on both of you, call out your Pokémon and let's get some shots with you near the ocean!" Instantly she pushed both of us back towards the surf then clapped her hands again. "Come on! Chop-chop!" Sighing I looked at Gary.

"Let's just get this over with. Come on out! I choose everybody!" Throwing my Pokéballs up into the air Eevee jumped with them, calling out excitedly as she focused on Dratini's Pokéball then bounded over to her as she appeared.

"DriiiI!" Dratini cooed happily then the two began to play together in the sand, rolling about and chasing one another as Pidgeotto and Charizard appeared also. Charizard roared then instantly began to nuzzle into me, growling happily as I giggled then hugged him tightly.

"Okay big guy, I missed you too!" I agreed then kissed his nose. "We're going to have our picture taken with Gary and his Pokémon, so how about it? Have you all primped and groomed?" I teased as Gary let out his Pokémon.

"It's photo time! Come on everyone!" I watched as a Blastoise, Nidoking, Growlithe, Poliwhirl, Nidorina and a Haunter appeared. Hey! He actually caught a Haunter?

"Haunter…" It said spookily then instantly began to disappear and reappear, pulling weird, funny faces at everyone and tried to frighten Eevee and Dratini but they were unfased, merely laughed and leaped up into his hands to rub their heads in greeting.

"Hey! Your Growlithe is so cute!" I beamed, kneeling down to stroke the Growlithe's head as it barked at me.

"Growl! Growlithe!"

"Yeah, we've been working hard together, haven't we Growlithe?" Gary answered with folded arms but before we could say anything more, mom began to organise us.

"Alright, Charizard you stand right there with Ruby and Pidgeotto sweetie, you hover between him and Blastoise. Haunter stay still a moment! Yes that's right, now you stay there and Gary darling, you stand close with Ruby and put your arm around her, yes that's perfect!" Huh? What?!

"That's not necessary, is it?" I asked as mom lifted Gary's arms and put it around me with a bright smile.

"Of course! It looks much nicer with you two standing together like that. Now everyone, look towards Will and say Pokémon!" Gary blinked down at me then blushed a little, looking away as his arm remained stiff around me.

"Hey, loosen up. You're making this far worse and more uncomfortable by being such a stiff board." I quipped at him and he shot me a look but nodded his head, relaxing as everyone around us began to smile and called out their names in a chant. Eevee sat at my feet, head tipped to the side with her ears flopping over and I giggled at her cuteness, Dratini sitting close to her before I looked to Gary, dad snapping away with as many shots as he could manage to capture.

Gary's hair caught the light and instantly the redness shone through, making it brighter and shinier than before. I blushed then quickly looked away, clearing my throat uncomfortably. "That's it, smile! Act natural!" Mom trilled as dad continued to snap up the photos.

"Are we done yet?" I asked but mom shook her head.

"No, no, we need more fun! More relaxation…we're on Cinnabar Island! At least _pretend_ to look like you're having fun!" She smiled so I strained to put on a broader smile for her. Suddenly I felt myself being lifted up and I yelped, my eyes darting to Gary who had grabbed me by the waist and had lifted me up into the air with a laugh.

"How's this Mrs Bates?" He questioned then spun around, me clinging onto him for dear life but then I began to laugh, feeling the thrill of spinning quickly shoot through me and my hat fell back over my head, tipping it so that my face was more readily exposed.

Gary let me down and I found myself very close to him, blinking up into his eyes in a slight daze as he quirked an eyebrow. "Not going to fall over are you Rubes?" He teased so I smirked with knowing.

"No…but you are!" With that I shoved him over and he fell to the ground as I laughed, placing my hands on my hips as Eevee and Dratini reached my shoulders, perching there as Gary sat on the sand where I had planted him.

"Hey, no fair!" He said with a grin then leaped back up. "Blastoise, let's cool everyone down with Water Gun!" He said and Blastoise lifted both arms up into the air.

"Blaaaastoise!" He agreed then aimed his cannons upwars.

"No!" I screeched whilst giggling as Eevee and Dratini had taken it upon themselves to tickle my neck and face with their cuddles but it was too late. Blastoise shot a plume of water up into the air and it trickled down, spraying us all. "Gary Oaks, that was not nice!" I laughed, pointing a finger to him. "Eevee, use tickle attack!" I called and Eevee instantly sprung from my shoulder, paws stretched out to Gary then slammed into his chest, his arms instantly holding onto her to keep her steady as her tongue began to lick at his neck and face.

"Vee! Vee, Vee, Vee!" She trilled happily as I rubbed Dratini's head.

"Driiii…" She sighed happily, tail swaying softly down my back as I held up an arm and let Pidgeotto land there.

"Pidgeo." She said and I nodded my head in agreement.

"Yeah, life is good with friends." I said then looked up at Charizard. "Don't you think so buddy?" He nodded his head with a growl then settled down on the sand, curling up around me to have a nap but lifted his wing to give us some shade, making me smile and rub his belly. "Thanks Charizard." So I leaned back and enjoyed some quality relaxation time with my Pokémon as mom and dad played babminton and Gary's Pokémon all had some sparring matches, though they kept everything to a minimum.

Areodactyl soared overhead, happily riding the thermals but as the tide began to come in, he called down a warning to us. "Alright everyone, let's jump ship!" I called, picking up my Pokéballs. "Let's go let's go!" Pidgeotto flew back to Eevee and carried her over, setting her on the sand from where she had been scrambling on the rocks and I smiled down at her. "We don't want to lose you now, do we?" I questioned and she jumped up and did a backflip.

"Vee!"

"I'll see you all tonight, okay?" I said then beamed at Charizard, Dratini and Pidgeotto. "I'll make us Brock's special Pokémon buffet meal and we'll have a real feast." I promised then brought them all back as Gary did the same.

"Come on honey! The tide's getting closer!" Dad called, already climbing back over the rocks and was helping mom so I raced after them, Gary close behind.

"You keeping up Gary?" I challenged and he grinned.

"Please, I'm slowing down just for you."

"Oh yeah? Then let's pick up the pace!" I said then charged forwards with Eevee bounding at my side, leaping up the rocks but when her little body didn't quite manage the jump ahead of me I caught her in my arms and leaped up. "Careful Eevee, I got you." I said to her and she licked my cheek in answer.

Once we were safely back on the beach dad checked the time. "Well, we'd better be going." He sighed. "The blimp leaves in half an hour." I flung my arms around him and held on tightly.

"Thank you for coming dad, it's been real fun having you two here with me." I said then kissed his cheek. "I'll be home soon, I promise. I'll stop there before I head back out on my journey to collect more badges but after that, I'll be home for a long stay." Mom tackled me with her powerful hug and I felt every bone in my body break as she clung onto me, sobbing shamelessly.

"I'm going to miss you my little darling, you take care now and don't do anything dangerous, but make sure to have lots of fun and don't forget about your old folks back at home!" Smiling I hugged her back and tried to comfort her.

"Of course. I'll be careful." I assured her then peeled myself from her. "And I'll be sure to try my best for you guys, I promise!" Mom sniffed then picked up the camera she and dad had been using all holiday, patting it gently then held it out to me.

"Here sweetie, this is for you." I reached out and took the camera in its case, neatly sitting before me as I then looked up at mom. "To capture all the memories that will build you into a stronger, more confident person. I know you still have a lot of growing to do, so I want you to take pictures to capture all the times and special moments that you never want to forget. Use it to remember friends, Pokémon, places and people who you meet on your journey." I nodded my head then hugged both my parents again.

"I love you." I whispered to them and they held onto me.

"We love you too." They answered in unison and we stayed like that for a long time before finally, I let go and stepped back from them.

"Have a safe trip, I'll call you when I get my next badge." I promised. "Bye!"

"Goodbye sweetie! And good luck!" They cheered as they walked and waved, going off towards the blimp station where they were headed home. For a while I said nothing, just stood and watched them go before someone shifted behind me.

"You know, I can see how you guys are all related." Gary said matter of factly and I rolled my eyes.

"I know, we're all completely crazy." I agreed then smiled. "Well, I'd better be going. See you around Gary, and good luck with all your training."

"Yeah. You too Rubes. I know you'll do great." He answered, lifting a hand and gave a lazy flick of salute to signal his goodbye so I did the same, mimicking him with a laugh then raced off. "Come on Eevee, let's go learn more about Pokémon!"


	34. Chapter 34

My time here on Cinnabar Island was now over. I'd learned so much about Pokémon I had never realised I didn't know before and Blaine had even let me train and study his fire type Pokémon, helping me to understand them and taught me how to keep them all healthy.

I was full to the brim with knowledge and yet, I knew I had so much more to learn. With my bag packed and Eevee settled on my shoulder I stepped onto the blimp that was going to take me home. "You ready Eevee?" I questioned and she nodded her head.

"Vee!" Smiling I glanced back, looking at Kyle, Professor Dawson and Blaine as they all stood there, sending me off with a round of goodbyes. I waved to them, glad that I'd been able to study under them and that they had taken the time to let me be a fly on their side, asking questions twenty four seven. "Vee!" Eevee flicked her tail and wiggled her ears in farewell before I turned and walked onto the blimp.

"You know Eevee, I just can't wait." I said with a sigh as I head towards the lounge where we'd be afforded a great view of the skies. "I can't wait to battle, can't wait to learn, I just can't wait to see what fun is in store for us! You'll be with me through every bit of it, won't you?" I asked and Eevee nodded her head.

"Vee Vee."

"And our friends too, Pidgeotto, Charizard and Dratini. We'll always be a family, no matter where we are in the world, and that's all that really matters." I said then pulled out a photo album from my pack. I began to flick through the pages, looking at all the photos I had printed from the camera.

There were some earlier ones of myself and Pidgeotto when she was a Pidgey and also some of my parents, but the pages were gradually beginning to fill up with others. There were individual shots of myself with each of my Pokémon and then group photos with us playing or sparring. There were ones of Blaine and his fire Pokémon as we trained, ones of myself, Kyle and Professor Dawson as we researched either in the lab or out in the field and there were a lot of close ups on Eevee as she fiddled with the camera by accident, setting off the capture but the photos were so cute that I had printed them off anyway.

However, I think my favourite was the one of Gary's Pokémon and mine all standing together with us in the middle, smiling at the camera. There was another tucked behind it, one that I kept hidden with embarrassment, because although I liked it, I'd never admit I had it. It was a close up of Gary and I as he span me around, the both of us laughing and it had caught a perfect moment where he was just beginning to put me down and we were looking at one another. I don't know why I like it so much, I think it's because it's my proof that Gary Oaks isn't as bad as he pretended to be.

Well, at least I hope so. Tucking the album away I snuggled Eevee onto my lap and looked up to the sky where the clouds rolled past dreamily. "We're going places Eevee, we just have to follow the road and remember that the most important thing for us is doing our best to help both people and Pokémon. I think we've got a long journey ahead of us before we could even make a difference in the world…but I look forward to the day that we do."

The Pokémon League was amazing! It was huge, like a collaseum! Taking a deep breath I exited through the gates then head towards where the participants were being housed in the hope of finding Ash and the others.

What really played on the front of my mind, however, was the loss that Gary suffered just moments ago. He'd lost against some girl's Golem with his Nidoking and I just couldn't believe it. He'd actually lost, which meant he was now out of the lague competition. I felt bad for him, I know how badly he wanted to win this thing.

Eevee walked by my side, turning her ears to listen but then suddenly she stopped, lifted her head then gasped. "Vee!" Suddenly she shot off and I blinked.

"Hey Eevee, wait!" I called then chased after her, racing forwards as she bounded one all fours. "Eevee wait up! Where are you going?" When I looked up and ahead I saw exactly who she was running to.

"Vee! Vee!"

"Huh?" Gary turned around and looked as Eevee slowed down to stand in front of him then began to rub her head against him. "Oh hi Eevee, where's Ruby?" He asked, kneeling down to rub her head. "Did you bring her with you?"

"Sure she did." I answered, stopping my pace and placed my hands on my hips. "She's right here."

"Ruby!" Gary blinked, standing upright as he faced me. "Hey, when did you get here?" He asked and I shrugged.

"This morning." I answered then loosened up, letting my hands hang by my side. "That was a pretty amazing battle Gary, you should be proud of yourself and your Pokémon." Smiling as Eevee came back and sat beside me she nodded her head.

"Vee!"

"Ha, Eevee says she's proud of you." Glancing over to the car full of sobbing cheerleaders I sighed and rolled my eyes. Couldn't they at least hold a little self pride? Gary smiled and nodded his head.

"Yeah I guess so." He agreed but then we heard someone calling out his name.

"Hey Gary!" Both of us turned to see Ash running towards us, Pikachu perched on his shoulder. "Gary…" Gary instantly put on a façade, smirking simply as he crossed his arms in front of him.

"That trainer was lucky that I got distracted by all the girls cheering for me." He said and I rolled my eyes. He turned back and snapped his fingers as they continued to cry like big babies. "You'll get over it, won't you girls?" He questioned and in answer they wailed even louder than before.

"Maybe next time you won't bring them with you and you can actually focus more on training and battling rather than showing off." I answered, stooping down to pick up Eevee as I kept my eyes down away from Gary.

"Hey Ruby, I didn't think you were going to make it." Ash said to me so I smiled at him. "Where've you been?"

"Oh around and about. You know, doing more research, training, travelling, battling…earning eight badges." I smiled then winked at Ash as his jaw dropped.

"What?! You went around collecting badges? And you got eight?"

"Sure did. After a certain someone totalled the gym at Viridian I had to go to a smaller gym in a different town but I got it fine."

"Great! That's so awesome Ruby!" Ash cheered and I nodded my head.

"Why thank you Ash." I said to him then looked around to Gary. "Well, you'd better get going Gary. You've got a long road ahead of you before you get home." He nodded his head and turned to Ash.

"Good luck Ash, though your beginner's luck will soon run out." He said and I rolled my eyes again, giving him an unimpressed look.

"Can't you just be nice for one-" I was cut off when Gary leaned closer and kissed my cheek, shocking every nerve in my body and making me freeze in place.

"See you around Rubes." He winked as he pulled back then walked towards the car. Both Ash and I stared as he leaped into the seat and then drove down the path away from the Pokémon League as I remained rooted to the spot, unable to even think about what just happened.

"Did that…really just happen?" Ash questioned as I stood with my arms pinned to my sides.

"I don't know. Maybe I'm just dreaming. Or having a horrible nightmare." I answered but I felt a tiny warmth in my chest. I guess it was kind of sweet of Gary to say goodbye like that, eventhough it was completely out of character. "Anyway, how are you feeling Ash? Are you nervous for your next battle? I've been watching you on TV as I came over here and I think you've really improved your strategy since I last saw you." Ash grinned, shaking himself out of his shock and turned around to face me with a confidence only Ash could have.

"I feel great, I know I can win this thing, right Pikachu?"

"Pika!" Pikachu answered then leaped from Ash's shoulder and into my arms with Eevee, greeting us by nuzzling my face. "Pika Pikachu!"

"Haha! Hey Pikachu, I missed you too!" I giggled, holding both Pokémon in my arms and hugged them close as Eevee rubbed her head into Pikachu.

"Vee! Vee!" Smiling I looked back up at Ash.

"So I'm starving, how about we find Brock and Misty then go get something to eat?" I suggested, moving Pikachu and Eevee back up to either shoulder so that I had my hands free.

"Sounds good to me! Come on, I'll show you the way." He said, stepping back with a wave of his hand so I followed, giving a smile to Pikachu and Eevee as they perched on my shoulders and had their own conversation over my hat. "So you got all eight badges since we left you in Cinnabar? You have to tell me all about it!" Ash said excitedly, fists clenched together as he walked with his anticipating grin. "Did you fight Blaine? And Sabrina? And what about your first two? Did you go back for a rematch to get new badges?"

"Well actually I was going to ask Brock and Misty if they still had mine from when I returned them." I said with a small shrug. "They were the first badges I won so I would like to have them back for keepsakes, but if not then yeah, I'll go back for rematches." I said to him then looked up to see two familiar people walking towards us. "Hey Brock! Misty!"

"Ruby! You made it!" Misty beamed, racing forwards with Togepi in her arms. "It's so good to see you again, how are you? Is Eevee okay?" She asked, laughing lightly as she reached out and rubbed Eevee's head.

"We're all fine. Great in fact." I answered as Brock caught up.

"Hey Ruby, it's good to see you." He said then looked at Eevee. "Wow! Eevee's coat looks so shiny! And her eyes are really bright and clear, you've obviously been taking great care of her Ruby." I nodded my head eagerly.

"Oh yeah, I've been working on the recipies you gave me for my Pokémon and whilst travelling, I found a Pokémon massagist who taught me how to give the best massage for any Pokémon. She even gave me a book with all the pressure points of each Pokémon and it teaches you how to help lower the stress levels of your Pokémon. I'll let you borrow it if you like, it's a great read."

"Thanks, that'll be great." He said as Togepi trilled happily, flapping her tiny little hands with a bright smile on her face.

"Hey there Togepi, how have you been?" I asked, reaching out and tickling her belly. "Not been getting into any trouble I hope?" Smiling I looked up at my three friends and couldn't help feeling overjoyed to be back with the gang. "So how about some dinner? I'm starving and I think my Pokémon could use with something too, it was a long flight." I said and everyone nodded their heads.

"Yeah, I've got some stew going back at the lodge, how about we go back and talk there?" Brock suggested. "We've got a lot of catching up to do and Ash needs to prepare for his next battle tomorrow."

"Great idea Brock, let's go!" I yelled happily then raced forwards, pulling everyone along with me until we were back at the lodge.

"Here Ruby, you can bunk with me." Misty said, gesturing upstairs. "Come on, let's get you settled in whilst the boys set up the table for dinner." She gave a pointed look to Ash who scratched the back of his head.

"Yeah…right." I followed Misty upstairs who smiled then opened the door for me. "Here you go."

"Thanks Misty." I smiled then watched as Eevee leaped from my shoulder and onto the bed, springing up and down into backflips as she cheered happily, playing on the bouncy matress. "Eevee be careful, don't fall off okay?" I said to her and she nodded her head.

"Vee!"

"So how was yourt travelling alone? Did you run into any trouble? What Pokémon did you see? Did you find any water Pokémon I don't know about?" She questioned and I laughed as I began to put my things away.

"I don't think there can be a single water Pokémon that you don't know about Misty so unfortunately I'll have to disappoint you." Sitting down on the bed Eevee bounded over then jumped into my lap, sitting down to look up at Misty with big round eyes. "But travelling alone with my Pokémon was such a great experience. We've really grown close, closer than ever before even and I can't wait to start putting them to the test again." Hugging Eevee as I stood up and looked to the door, sniffing the air as Brock's cooking wafted through. "That smells so great…let's go!"

"Yeah!" Misty agreed and raced after me as I bolted towards the kitchen. Everyone had already released their Pokémon so when I walked into the living room, I was faced with an entire hoard of Pokémon who called out with joy to see me.

"Bulba Bulbasaur!"

"Squirtle!" Both Squirtle and Bulbasaur were the first to leap at me, making me laugh as I knelt down and hugged them to me as Eevee quickly jumped out of me arms to go play with Togepi and Pikachu, happily chasing her tail as I greeted everyone.

"Hey guys! I missed you all so much!" I beamed, smiling I was then surrounded. Ash's Pidgeotto landed on my shoulder as Misty let out her Pokémon too.

"Come on out!" Staryu, Goldeen and Psyduck all appeared, though when Psyduck looked at me, he only looked confused.

"Psy?"

"Hey there Psyduck, remember me? It's Ruby." I said with a smile then reached behind me for my own Pokéballs. "I choose everyone!" I called, throwing three up into the air then caught them again as the Pokémon came out.

Dratini instantly dived in and began to say hello to everyone, playing with Togepi, Pikachu and Eevee whilst Pidgeotto flew up and greeted Ash's Pidgeotto rubbing heads before settling on a perch. When Charizard came forwards, though, everyone instantly gasped.

"It's Charizard!" Ash fell to the ground as Charizard lowered his head so that he didn't knock against the ceiling and looked at me, giving a soft growl of affection before settling down, curling up to take less room. "He came back?"

"Sure did. It all started when the Old Amber was reverted back to an Areodactyl. It started to go crazy when it woke up because it was so scared of its strange surroundings so it started a rampage." I then went onto explain everything about the encounter, how it had carried me away and Charizard had shown up to save me and I finished with me handing Areodactyl over to Gary.

"You what?!" Ash yelped, leaping up into the air and gripped his head. "Why'd you give it to Gary? Now he's going to be even stronger!"

"Cool it Ash." I said to him with a shrug. "It was the right thing to do."

"Exactly." Brock agreed from his cooking station, happily sporting a prink filly apron. "When a Pokémon connects or chooses a trainer then it's important not to get in their way because their's no stopping them once they've fixed themselves on someone." He explained as he stirred the soup. "Areodaactyl naturally responded better to Gary than he did to Ruby, though you did an amazing job calming it down the way you did and getting to terms with it." I smiled.

"Thanks Brock."

"But what about the way you did it?" Misty asked as she sat down next to her Pokémon. "The way you were able to feel and even see what Areodactyl and Charizard had felt. Did you talk to Professor Oak about it?"

"I tried to but he didn't have any answers. He was as stumped as I am." I sighed, looking down into my lap. "I just don't understand how I did it and every time I try, I just can't seem to be able to do it again. It's like it's been locked away somehow."

"Vee?" Eevee questioned as she sensed my distress but I smiled.

"I'm just worrying over nothing Eevee, it's okay." I assured her so she smiled happily then returned to playing with her friends.

"Maybe you're Psychic?" Brock suggested and everyone turned around to look at him.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked. "What's a Psychic?"

"A Psychic is someone who can control things with their mind. Like Sabrina could. I've heard that some are able to actually tap into the minds of other humans and Pokémon, so maybe that's what you are Ruby." I smiled at the thought but shook my head.

"No, I asked Sabrina when I visited her gym. She told me she couldn't sense any Psychic power from me but told me that there was defiantely something different. She said my inner strength and outer glow were something she had never witness before, though I don't have a clue what she was talking about." Misty hummed in thought, pursing her lips.

"Outer glow? Like an aura?"

"Beats me." I lifted my head and sniffed, sensing that the food was almost done.

"Okay, okay, I can see you Ruby. Don't worry, just a few more minutes." He promised. "How about you all start getting dinner ready for the Pokémon? By the time you finish ours will be done."

"Alright!" Ash and I both leaped up and darted around, getting everything ready. Brock's Pokémon Geodude and Zubat both followed me aroun as I carried their food and I giggled, looking up as Zubat landed on my head and its high pitched squeak focused on the food.

"Okay I get it, you're both hungry." I chuckled so I put down the food. "Here you go, enjoy." Instantly they began to devour everything down so I picked my way forwards over to Eevee and Dratini then sat down. Lifting my hand I rubbed Eevee's head as she looked up from eating. "That taste good? Better than what I used to whip up for you I bet." I said and she gave a soft smile before diving back down into the food Brock had made himself.

I settled back and relaxed a moment until finally, Brock called out. "Alright guys, grubs up!" Instantly I was on my feet and in the next second was sitting at the table, chopsticks in hand as I squirmed in my seat.

"Oh boy, I'm sure excited to taste your cooking again Brock! My food just doesn't have your finesse, so after a while my food just starting to taste a little bland after a while." I said as he brought over a huge bowl of noodle soup. Hey, it's duck and season vegetables, my favourite!

"Well I'm glad you called ahead to tell us you were coming so I could whip up your favourite." Brock answered as Misty and Ash joined me at the table. "Oh and by the way, Misty and I have a surprise for you." Brock looked at Misty then gave a small nod as he put the pot down. Putting down the towels he used to help carry the cooking pot then reached into his pocket. "Here."

When he extended his hand and unfolded his fingers, he held out two shiny objects. Instantly my eyes sparkled as Dratini and Eevee leaped onto my shoulders, looking down at both the Boulder and Cascade badge in the palm of his hand. "Since you're collecting again, Misty and I figured you deserved these again." He said as I reached out and picked them up. "And we all wish you luck Ruby in whatever challenge you come up against, we'll be rooting for you."

"Thanks you guys, you have…no idea how much this means to me." I murmured, looking down at my badges then picked up the Boulder badge, turning it up to the light to see how it shone. "My first badge…it's good to have this one back again." Smiling I held my hands together and tucked my badges against my heart, smiling as Dratini and Eevee cheered happily on my shoulders.

Brock served out dinner and we chowed down, enjoying the easy company of four friends and a lot of Pokémon, recalling past adventures, catching up on missed events and every detail we could think of until finally, after all the washing up was done, we camped out in the living room with the Pokémon, too exhausted to even find our own beds.


	35. Chapter 35

"Our next trainers are coming onto the grass field for the fourth round! The green trainer is Pallet Town's Ash Ketchum!" The announcer called and the crowd began to go wild. I looked around and saw everyone going nuts, calling out Ash's name and whispering excitedly. Well, even if Ash loses he certainly has made a name for himself. The crowd love him!

"Ash can't lose." Brock said intensely, glued firmly to his seat as he looked down into the arena.

"I was kind of hoping Ash would let his coaches in on the sidelines like before." Misty said, obviously thinking about the better seat views down in the box. I'll admit, that would be pretty awesome too.

"Ash just wants to prove he can win all by himself." Brock explained simply with an understanding smile.

"Well, if I were Ash, I'd choose Bulbasaur to battle on the grass field like this." Misty said and Brock agreed with her.

"But this is Ash we're talking about. We won't know what'll happen until we're in the heat of the moment, and he'll still take everyone by surprise." I pointed out simply then gestured to the crowd. "It's why everyone's so excited to see him battle, they love his style. It's quite appealing the way he keeps everyone on the edge of their seats."

"True, but all we've got to worry about now is not letting this attention go to his head." Brock said and inwardly, I knew this was true. Attention was good in small doses if you're not used to it, but something as huge as this is bound to fill up a brainless skull like Ash's. I'll be keeping a close eye on him for sure.

"Who's he battling anyway?"

"It just says her name is Jeanette Fisher." Brock answered, looking at the programme after Misty's question. "She must be pretty tough to make it this far."

"And now the red trainer is coming out into the field!" The loudspeaker announced and everyone turned their attention to the other side of the field where a red carpet suddenly shot out with artistic flare, shooting up then flicked down to the ground gracefully.

As a beautiful young woman walked out petals fell around her from a guy who scattered them, making the crowd suddenly go completely crazy as drums hammered and a cheer squad began their debut. "Jeanette, Jeanette, she's the best that you can get!" Oh please, I really can't stand anymore cheerleaders.

"Oh! She has a whole cheer squad with her, Ash only has us." Misty worried but I merely rolled my eyes as Brock went into his dazed phase.

"Then we'll be sure to cheer extra loud." I said confidently, clenching my fist then relaxed. I pulled out my camera and began to snap up as many photos as I could. "Besides, we've seen this sort of behaviour before from Gary and look what happened to him. He got too confident which led to him making some mistakes that knocked him out of the competition. Ash can remain focused without an entire orchestra and choir rooting for him." Misty smiled and nodded, relaxing at the thought so she took a deep breath and leaned back to relax.

"Jeanette…she should win…" Brock suddenly murmured and both of us instantly turned furious looks upon him.

"We're here to root for Ash! Whose side are you on anyway?" We both demanded and both grabbed an ear each, giving a firm pull to stretch them out and get his attention. "Wake up Brock, this is an important battle, stop drooling over all the pretty girls and focus on Ash!" I added for good mesure as Brock yelled in pain.

"Argh! Not the ears!"

"It looks like our opponents are ready to face off!" Immediately we both let go of Brock's ears, letting him drop to the ground as we leaned forwards.

"Come on Ash! I know you can do it!" Misty cheered and I punched the air.

"Yeah come on!"

"Vee!" Eevee joined in, safely guarded on my lap though she curled up and was happy to simply bathe in the sun. The flags lifted and the referee gave the go ahead for the first Pokémon to be sent out. I watched in anticipation as Ash sent out his first Pokémon, the ball spinning through the air before finally, it revealed to be Bulbasuar. Instantly we all exhaled with relief, however this then turned to fear on Misty's part as a Beedrill was sent out as the opponent.

"A…a…a…bug…" She whispered, staring in blind terror so I reached out and patted her shoulder.

"It's okay Misty, that Beedrill will stay in the arena and if it comes anywhere near you, I'll send Charizard out to torch it. Okay?" I gave a positive smile and she gulped, still trembling slightly.

"Okay. Sure. Yeah, that sounds great." Looking back I saw that Beedrill was already diving down at Bulbasaur with a Tackle attack which Bulbasaur dodged at the last second, making a heart stopping move that earned a collective gasp.

Next Ash called out a Razor Leaf which Beedrill dodged and began using Twin Needle, stabbing down with its large spear like hands which was then turned into a Poison Sting. "Looks like she's tougher than we thought." I said. "She's not going to let this match go easily."

"True but neither is Ash. Bulbasaur is doing great dodging all those attacks." Misty said as we leaned a little closer though Misty shuddered. "I just hope she doesn't have anymore Pokémon like that Beedrill." Brock hummed quietly, a rosy hue on his cheeks.

"I just hope she doesn't have a boyfriend." Misty growled instantly.

"Well there's no way that boyfriend's going to be you mister!" She shouted at him, though you could barely hear it over the cheer of the crowd. Suddenly Bulbasaur leaped back to gain some space and shot out a Leech Seed from its bulb, sending it flying towards Beedrill and it snapped on at the tip of its stinger, letting out a cluster of vines that clamped down on Beedrill and began draining it of its energy.

"Yeah! Go Ash!" I cheered as Misty beamed.

"Look! Leech Seed is sucking up Beedrill's energy!"

"Yeah…I see…" Brock cried and Misty turned on him again. Sudenly it was as if she were using Scary Face, rising up over Brock and this time, you could definitely hear her over the crowd.

"You're supposed to be rooting for Ash not Jeanette!" Bulbasaur charged forwards with a Tackle, sending Beedrill flying so when it landed, the Leech Seed snapped off and the bug Pokémon was no longer able to move.

"Beedrill out of the match!" The referee called and instantly everyone cheered.

"Way to go Ash!" Misty yelled, leaping up as I did the same.

"You can do it Ash! We believe in you!"

"Way to go Ash! Show 'em you're the number one trainer in the league!" Misty then blinked, looking over to the cheerleader squad as they continued their chant, still keeping up their spirits despite the fact Jeanette was still in the lead. "They're acting as if Jeanette is the one winning." Misty said as she sat back down. "Well cheering won't help if she picks the wrong Pokémon."

"Ash'll be ready no matter what she picks." Brock said and I gave him a smile.

"Finally awake Brock?" He nodded his head.

"Oh yeah, I'm awake." He paused. "But she's so beautiful!" Hearts practically sparkled in his eyes and my own heart bled for the poor guy. I watched at the irritated woman's face as she summoned back her Beedrill then held out her next Pokéball. When she sent out Scyther, I instantly froze in place.

"Not a Scyther!"

"Is Ash even ready for a Scyther?" Misty wondered and Brock gave the tiniest of shrugs in part answer.

"Maybe…" Very helpful. I for one have absolute faith in Ash. Absolute fiath that he'll either really pull this off or totally screw this up. I watched nervously as Scyther launched a series of ruthless and fast attacks of Tackle into Quick Attack, some of them landing hits on Bulbasaur but the spunky little Pokémon kept up the dodging act, dancing in and out of the blades until Ash had the sense to counter with an attack of his own. Vine Whip to be exact, the only thing was Scyther was so fast it kept on knocking the whips out of its way.

Suddenly Scyther pulled back then multiplied, becoming three opponents instead of one, shocking Ash into a statue as he stared in confusion. Double Team, when used well it could seriously confnuse your opponent as now no one knows which of the forms was the original one.

"Don't give up Ash! Just stay calm!" I shouted down though I doubted he could hear me. "You can do it!"

"That's right Ash, focus on your opponent, no matter how many there are!" Misty agreed. Ash used Vine Whip through the middle to make one of the Scyther disappear but then elected to go right, hitting another dud so when Scyther moved forwards with blinding speed, Bulbasaur was powerless to stop the hit though he bounced right back.

"Poor Bulbasaur, he's really no match against Scyther." I worried. "Scyther is far faster and has better offensive attacks, this could mean Bulbasaur's in real trouble!"

"Stay calm Ruby. Ash'll think of something." Brock assured me gently, pulling me back down into my seat. "It's not over until it's over. You see, Bulbasaur may be slower but its pretty tough, so it'll put up a good fight and might even be able to outlast Scyther."

"It looks like Bulbasaur is about to get mowed down by Scyther!" The loudspeaker remarked and I gave Brock a crude look.

"Outlast it, huh?" I questioned and Brock rubbed the back of his head with a guilty and nervous laugh.

"Well uh…" As Bulbasaur was used as a punchbag by Scyther, Ash finally called something out. Bulbasuar shot out Razor Leaf but Scyther easily dodged with a Double Team attack which flung Bulbasaur up into the air, legs flailing helplessly until its Vine Whip shot out against all three and finally pinned the original Scyther down.

"Alright!" I cheered, punching the air as Eevee lifted her head and blinked sleepily. As the referee called out Scyther's defeat, the crowd once again went wild for Ash's victory. "Hey, maybe this girl isn't so tough after all." I said with a smirk. "Piece of cake for Ash really."

"Ash figured out that Scyther's Double Team attack left it twice as weak on defence." Brock mused as the crowd continued to cheer and applaud. You'd think he'd won already.

"And he did it all on his own!" Misty said proudly as they looked at one another.

"I guess he really can handle a match without our help."

"Don't be too quick to the chase." I pointed out smartly as I sat back down again. "Jeanette still has one Pokémon left and if I'm right, she's saved her best for last." Out came a Bellsprout. "Okay, forget I said anything." I said then slumped back down in my seat.

"This looks like a desperation move by young Fisher!" Wait a second, let me think. Bellsprout…Bellsprout, Bellsprout…of course! Oh no!

"Argh! Ash is in trouble!" I suddenly squeaked, gripping my hat tightly and pulled it down low over my face as Misty and Brock blinked at me in surprise.

"Huh? What do you mean?" Taking a deep breath I began to explain as Ash started up the battle with a Tackle attack.

"Well you see, when I was on Cinnabar Island I got to study some wild Bellsprout with Kyle. We observed how well they survived despite being in such harsh territory with bigger and stronger Pokémon around them. They use their flexible bodies to bend and move out of the way of their opponents without even moving, and those leaves aren't as weak as you might think. They're very tough and spunky little Pokémon and they use their opponents strengths against them. Bulbasaur has just fought two battles, I don't think he'll be able to take much more and, if Ash uses Pikachu he'll be in trouble again because any electric attacks will just be absorbed into the ground by Bellsprout's roots." I blushed and touched my face. "I sure learned a lot, didn't I?" And just at that moment, Bulbasuar had been flung through the air and crash landed on Ash's podium, cancelling him out of the match.

"Oh no! Poor Bulbasaur!" Misty gasped as Ash returned Bulbasaur to its Pokéball. Instantly I clapped my hands together.

"Please don't be dumb, please don't be dumb, please don't be dumb…" Ash sent out Pikachu. "Okay, dumb it is then." I sighed then rested my chin on one hand, stroking Eevee's fur. I couldn't watch, it was shamefull. Pikachu used attack after attack only to be knocked out by one hit to the head. "You'd think Ash would remember type matchups regardless." I groaned, shaking my head.

"Sorry we're so late!" A familiar voice called out and I looked up to see Mrs Ketchum and Professor Oak walking towards us.

"Mrs Ketchum, Proffesor Oak!" Misty said in surprise as I smiled and stood up to greet them.

"We came to cheer Ash to victory." Proffesor Oak explained simply as Brock stood up too, looking a little awkwardly at the professor.

"Uh…did you know that your grandson lost?" He asked tenderly but Professor Oak wore a kind smile and nodded his head.

"Yes I know. It'll do Gary good to find out that the road has a few bumps along the way." He answered and I took a deep breath. I guess he was right, no part of this journey was going to be easy, but hey, that's half the fun!

"Win this one for your mother!" Mrs Ketchum called out and Professor Oak copied her example.

"Now that Gary's out of the competition, all the folks in Pallet Town are counting on you!" I blinked in surprise then chuckled, shaking my head as Misty leaned closer and whispered in my ear.

"They're supposed to be cheering Ash on, but all they're doing is putting more pressure on him." She worried so I pulled back with a smile and a laugh to ease her concerns.

"Don't sweat, they mean well and besides, Ash can't hear them with this crowd." I reasoned and she chuckled.

"Guess so." I shot a glare towards that Jeanette girl as she crowed over her sudden comeback.

"Now let's see if Ash has the Pokémon he needs to win this victory over this unbelievable Bellsprout." I shifted up so that Mrs Ketchum could sit between me and Brock and she instantly made a fuss over Eevee, so I let her sit in Mrs Ketchum's lap so she could focus on the match too as Ash sent out his last Pokémon.

When a big pile of purplish glob appeared, I instantly vowed to take everything about Ash's lack of brain back. "Hey! I didn't know Ash brought his Muk with him to the competition." Misty said with surprise as she stood up and Professor Oak nodded his head rather proudly.

"Ash thought he might need his Muk during this match so he called yesterday and asked me to make the transfer." The professor looked back to the open field where Ash now looked focused and determined, zeroing in on Bellsprout who now seemed to tremble before the poison type. "Ash knew that Muk had a huge advantage over grass Pokémon."

"Hmm, I don't know what surprises me more. The fact that he's using Muk, or the fact that he thought ahead." Misty said as she sat back down again.

"Yes, I underestimated him myself." Professor Oak agreed.

"I think we all did. Ash has never shown this sort of consideration before a battle since I've known him. I've only seen him dive headfirst into all situations and deal with the puzzle pieces later, but here he's actually planned a strategy that has an effective bite." I continued, looking down at the battlefield with a smile. "Well, well, looks like I'm not the only one who has upped their game."

The Bellsprout went running forwards with a kicking attack at Muk who simply sat there and absorbed the attack easily, seeming almost insulted that the attempt hadn't even done more damage.

"Folks it looks like the tables have been turned for Jeanette's Bellsprout. Muk is completely absorbing the energy from the attack." Bellsprout sprung backwards, blinking in surprise then began to kick at Muk who laughed, obviously enjoying the amusing display as I slowly smiled, tipping my hat upwards slightly. Great thinking Ash, I'm impressed.

The poor little sprout Pokémon gave it everything it had, kicking and tackling and shooting Razor Leaf but it simply had no effect on Muk's durable body, allowing it to take the hits without so much as a flinch. Not even when Bellsprout managed to pick him up and throw him rather miraculously. I hope mom was watching because she would have loved that move.

Finally it ended with Muk's Body Slam, smothering the little Bellsprout though it tried its best to pound its way out of there. After several failed attempts, everything went quiet and the crowd all held their breath, watching with trepid anticipation as Muk slowly pulled back.

The referee raced over, looking down on Bellsprout for a moment before lifting the green flag. "Bellsprout is out of the match and the fourth round victory goes to Ash Ketchum!" Instantly the crowd fell apart, going wild for Ash as he celebrated, leaping up into the air and I turned to see his mother crying.

"I'm so proud of him!"

"I can't believe Ash won on all four fields!" Misty beamed as I leaped up and cheered.

"Yeah go Ash! Pallet Town rules!" Laughing and cheering I watched as Ash ran to Muk and got a rather affectionate hug, Muk smothering Ash completely but I think he was too overjoyed to care, he'd won his fourth match after all! He definitely deserved it, after thinking ahead and pulling that stunt out of the box without even needing help, this was a victory Ash had earned.


	36. Chapter 36

I stood at the grand entrance to the stadium, looking around with a sigh as Eevee played with Togepi and Pikachu. "I really wish you could stay." Ash said to me sadly and I turned to face him.

"Hey, me too Ash, but apparently its total havoc back at Professor Oak's research lab and he needs a hand to get things straightened out again whilst he's here supporting you. I know you want your friends here to support you, and believe me, I'd like nothing better than to stay here and help you kick butt, but those Pokémon need someone with more experience to look after them than the dweebs Professor Oak hired whilst he's away." I said to him so I stepped forwards and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know you'll do great Ash, you've got greatness simply written all over you, but you've got to remember, you won't go anywhere without your Pokémon, so take good care of them." With that I pulled him in for a tight hug.

"I know Ruby." He assured me, holding on extra tight as I smiled.

"And another thing, something I've learned whilst on my solo journey." I said, pulling away and turned up to look at the sky. "No matter how far you go, or how far you fall behind, it's all about the memories you create by being where you are and how you created other memories by getting there. That's the most important thing about being a Pokémon trainer, learning to grow through experience and gaining invaluable times with your friends and Pokémon." Ash blinked at me, surprised by my words.

"Wow Ruby, I've never thought about that." I winked at him.

"Which is why you still need your good friend Ruby Bates, now say 'cheese'!" I called and pulled him to me, winking at the camera as Ash laughed and smiled as I caught another photo.

"We can't get you away from that thing!" He joked as I snapped another of Pikachu, Eevee and Togepi playing.

"Nope and you never will." I vowed, giving an extra bright smile. "I'll be rooting for you Ash, I promise. Misty and Brock will take good care of you whilst I'm gone, so don't worry." I turned to the two of them and gave them both hugs as well, snapping photos as they smiled. "We'll see each other again really soon, we'll be back in Pallet Town before you know it. Come on, one last group photo!"

"I can take it for you." Professor Oak said as he walked up with Mrs Ketchum. "Here, let me take that for you." He took my camera and I instantly slung an arm around Ash's shoulders, making him laugh as I winked and pulled a victory sign with my hand as Togepi danced in Misty's arms, Pikachu leaping up onto Ash's head and Eevee found my shoulder. We stood for the photo before finally, it was time to go. I had to catch this bus or I'll miss my flight back to Pallet Town.

"Well, goodbye everyone." I said, giving one last round of hugs. "And Ash, one last thing."

"I know, I know, don't do anything stupid." He laughed, punching me on the shoulder and I punched him back.

"Wrong you dufus! Don't be afraid to make mistakes, that's the only way you'll perfect your technique. And if you lose, then so what? You'll come back even stronger next time around! Though I know you'll do your absolute best." Giving a final wave I shouldered my bag and took my camera back from Professor Oak. "Goodbye all! Don't worry about the Pokémon professor, I'll make sure they're all okay!"

"Thank you so much Ruby! I needed this break!" He called back before I dived onto the bus with Eevee, showed the driver my ticket then raced to the back of the bus, plastering my hands to the window with Eevee at my side. I saw Pikachu bounding forwards towards the bus before he stopped and stood up.

"Pika Pika!" He called, waving in goodbye and Eevee called back as well, closing her eyes and beaming brightly as she said farewell to her best friend.

"Well Eevee, another long trip home. I'm just sorry we didn't get here sooner to see more of Ash's amazing battles." I sighed, flopping down in the seat as the bus pulled away and rounded the corner. "Stupid blimp getting cancelled."

"Excuse me, is anyone sitting there?" Someone asked and I looked up to see a young boy standing in front of me with a nervous blush on his face.

"No, you're welcome to take it." I said, picking Eevee up so he could have the window seat. "Hi, I'm Ruby."

"I'm Timmy, are you friends with Ash Ketchum?" He asked and I nodded my head.

"Sure am. I've known him since we were in nursery." I explained. "I'm Ruby from Pallet Town and Ash and I set out on our journey together on the same day."

"Wow! That's so great! I'm going to go on a journey real soon too!" Timmy exclaimed so I smiled at him.

"That's so great! Tell me all about what you want to be when you grow up and all the Pokémon you'd like to catch, I'd really like to hear." So we talked for hours, from the bus to the blimp about Pokémon, listening to all his aspirations to become a gym leader one day specialising in flying type Pokémon so I showed him Pidgeotto, who he absolutely adored.

The journey passed a lot faster with Timmy for company, so when I alighted in Pallet Town's small air port, I was almost surprised to be there. "Bye Ruby! Thanks for all your great stories!" Timmy called out as I left the blimp. "I'll come battle you one day, I promise!"

"I'll look forward to it Timmy, good luck!" I called back then turned to face my hometown. It felt good to be home and I breathed in a deep gulp of fresh, homely air then exhaled softly. Suddenly Eevee's ears pricked up and she gasped, hearing and smelling something as she sniffed the air then darted forwards.

"Vee! Eevee!"

"Hey wait! Don't run off Eevee! I don't want to lose you!" I called out, instantly taking off after her as she dodged through the numerous pairs of feet then race through the barrier out into the car park. "Eevee wait!" Once I had squeezed my way past a rather large woman and a bony man, I raced after her, backpack anchored on so I could pick up the pace, but when I got outside I couldn't see her anywhere. Panic, cold cruel panic settled in on me. "Eevee!" I yelled, scanning the ground until I heard a laugh.

"Looking for something Rubes?" A shiver went down my spine and my right cheek flared up from where it had been kissed by the same guy who now leaned against a taxi with Eevee in his arms. He was feeding her special Pokémon food and was scratching her ears gently, looking down though I knew he had spotted me.

"Eevee! Thank goodness you're alright!" I gasped and ran forwards, letting her leap into my arms to hold her close. "Please don't run off like that again, you really scared me." She gave me a sad and sorry face, pressing a paw to my cheek so I smiled. "It's okay, so long as you're safe then that's all that matters." Taking a deep breath I slowly looked up at Gary. "Hi Gary, what're you doing here?"

"I'm here to pick you up, your parents asked me to since they're a little busy at the moment." I frowned suspiciously.

"Doing what?" I questioned but Gary gave a little shrug.

"Like I asked. Come on, you look tired and worse for wear. You could do with some sleep." I'll say, I'm beat…hey! Gary just insulted me!

"I'm fine." I quipped, lifting my head a little higher. "Thank _you_." But I got into the taxi without further argument, climbing in and buckling up with Eevee safely on my lap as I ran my fingers through the tufty fur around her neck. "I think you need a wash little miss, your coat is getting a little dusty." I said to her and she beamed.

"Vee!" Just the mention of baths got Eevee excited, she loved them. "Vee Vee!" Suddenly she leaped from my lap onto Gary's making him blink but give a slight smile as she twirled around then leaped back onto me again, using us both as spring boards.

"Eevee, that's not good manners." I scolded her as I caught her middair, turning her to face me. "Using people as springboards is not very polite, is it? We've been through this." I paused. "Several times." She pulled an adorable face so I sighed and made her settle down as the taxi pulled off and I leaned against the window, unable to deny that my eyes were beginning to close. Just a few short minutes and I'll be back at home…home…safe and warm…

"Rubes, wake up!" Gary jolted me awake and I yelped loudly, jerking Eevee off my lap and she flew through the air. "Eevee!" I tried to quickly grab her but Gary beat me to it, letting her fall directly into his arms and she blinked before turning a grateful look up at him.

"Vee!"

"No problem Eves." He said as he rolled his eyes. "You have to be more careful Rubes, you almost lost yourself a Pokémon." Growling I practically fell out of the cab and glared at him.

"Well, maybe you shouldn't wake people up so suddenly! It's not very nice you know!"

"Oh please, you were snoring so loudly I doubted even a hurricane would have woken you up. I had to do something." He answered with a smug look before gesturing. "Come on, you'd better get inside." Instantly I tensed, going stiff with irritation and anger as Gary strutted down my driveway towards my house as if he owned the place, still carrying my Eevee.

"You get back here Gary Oak, I'm not through with you yet!" Gary ignored me, reaching up to ring the doorbell then stepped back. After a moment he sighed.

"Aren't you going to come to your own door?" Realising I was still rooted to the spot I growled and grumbled under my breath before stomping forwards. I pulled Eevee back from him and let her sit on my head on top of my hat, letting her practice her balancing which was another pass time she enjoyed as I heard a stampede of Tauros come through from the other side of the door.

Either that or it was my mom. I'm thinking I liked my chances better with the Tauros. The door was flung open with so much force I could have sworn I heard it crack. "Darlings!" Mom shrieked then grabbed us both up into her powerful crushing arms, making us both lose our breath as she crushed our ribs.

"Hey Mrs Bates, great to see you." Gary grunted as I struggled to even form words. Eevee dangled precariously off the top of my head, struggling to get back up from mom's suddenly grab so I struggled to get free.

"Mom, we need to breathe!" I gasped and she finally let us go. I dropped to the ground, exhausted form the ordeal and as I fell she grabbed Eevee.

"Hello Eevee my little sweetheart, come on inside, there's hot food waiting for you all! Come on Ruby, up you get, you can sleep when you're dead!" Mom trilled and I groaned inwardly as she grabbed my by my pack and pulled my inside but then she reached back and grabbed Gary too. "You too honey, come on in!" Gary was yanked inside with considerably force and he yelled as he spun into me, our heads knocking and we both yelped in pain, grabbing our wounded sores before shooting each other a glare.

"Who's clumsy now?" I sneered slightly and he shot me a dark look as mom hit the warpath.

"Come my darlings! I've got a three course meal of all desserts for you both! A celebration for Ruby coming home!" I smiled as I stood up, reclaiming Eevee before she could be squeezed to death by mom's over enthused hugging and came into the kitchen to look at the wide spread of food on the table. Even Gary looked impressed.

"Wow mom, this looks amazing!" I said and instantly dived into the ice cream.

"I'd better get going, I wouldn't want to impose on you Mrs Bates…" Gary said sweetly but mom wouldn't hear another word.

"Oh pish posh, I insist! Try some of my brownies, their homemade!" She said happily before beginning to dance around the kitchen. When her back was turned I quickly placed a hand to the side of my mouth and whispered.

"Don't try anything homemade." I warned him and he blinked before nodding, giving a secret smile before sitting down. Mom did most of the talking, chattering away and I just about managed to get the information on dad's location, which was at the Pokémon Lab so that's where I headed with Gary the moment I could get away.

"Wow, your mom can talk for the world." Gary said rather wearily as we made our way over.

"I know. I'm sorry about that but she means well. There's nother a dull moment with my mom around." I said proudly then looked ahead. "Look! There it is!" I suddenly called, looking up ahead to Professor Oak's lab so I took off at a run, racing ahead of Gary with an excited laugh before letting myself in the back.

The daylight was still bright and warm so I put Eevee down and head into the grounds where Pokémon filled the brim. It was utter havoc. Pokémon fought over food and with other, exchanging blows and arguing over the last sunny spots with the smaller Pokémon usually getting pushed out. The ponds and lake were full of Pokémon ramming one another and some of them were battlilng against the land Pokémon as they tried to have a drink whilst three guys raced around completely confused and lost as to what to do.

"Wow. And I thought the Pokémon League was a battlefield." I said blankly as Gary slowly caught up with me. Looks like we couldn't have come a moment too soon.

"I left them with clear instructions. Obviously they couldn't even get that right." Gary grumbled, shaking his head then sighed. "Now look at all this mess." Picking up my hand I pressed my fingers to my lips and gave the loudest whilstle possible, making everyone flinch and quieten down and look at me with blinking eyes.

"What on earth is going on?" I demanded, placing my hands on my hips and walked forwards as Eevee put on a similar expression as me, narrow eyed and critical. "This is not how I expect you Pokémon to behave, I'm very disappointed in all of you!" Most of the Pokémon hung their heads and made apologetic noises so I shook my head. "Now all of you, I want you to sit where you are and do not move!" I commanded then turned to the helpers. "Why did you let them all out at once? Can't you see that there simply is not enough land for all these Pokémon to play and move around on when they're all there trying to get the best spots?"

"We thought it would make feeding time a lot faster if we could just get it all over and done with." One of them answered. "So we just let them all out." I clapped a hand to my face. Obviously these guys didn't have great sense.

"Vee." Eevee scolded firmly then jumped up onto the table where a pile of Pokéballs lay. Well, we had better start getting the Pokémon back into order.

"Alright, here's what we're going to do. We'll put most of the Pokémon back in their Pokéballs and return them to where they're supposed to be on the shelves then go from there." Gary nodded his head and picked up a Pokéball and together, we set to work.

Whilst the boys returned Pokémon I got Pidgeotto and Eevee to help me make peace with everyone and Dratini dived down into the ponds and lake to cool everything down there before we began the feeding rota. I patched up any injuries and made sure everyone was okay after such a gruelling fight and finally, way after sunset, everything was once again back in order.

I flopped down on the ground with a groan, shattered and exhausted all at once. Eevee jumped on my back and began to paw at me, telling me to get up but even raise my head. All I managed was some sort of pathetic groan. "Vee? Vee, Vee Vee!"

"Pidgeo!" Pidgeotto landed next to me then began to peck at my head, trying to get me up as well as Dratini smoothly glided under my arm and tried to lift me up that way.

"Come on guys, I'm too tired to go home to bed. Can't I just sleep here?"

"No." Gary answered. "So come on, I'll walk you back." He grabbed my arms and hauled me to my feet, slinging one arm around his neck to help support me. "You should call your Pokémon back now."

"Right. Return you two, thanks for such a great job." I said and returned Pidgeotto and Dratini to their Pokéballs. "Come on Eevee, we need a good long rest." She nodded her head in agreement and jumped up onto my shoulder, settling down there for rest as Gary helped me with the walk home. "Thanks for walking with me Gary."

"Don't be so flattered, my house is only three doors away from you so it's not like I'm going out of my way or anything." He defended but I was too tired to even argue with him. I lifted my head to look up at the full moon and sighed, wondering if Ash was doing okay. Gary was silent for a while, head slightly bowed and I could tell he was deep in thought.

"Gary?" He glanced at me to signal he was listening. "Are you upset about your loss?" He gave a sharp grump which instantly assured me that he was.

"No. That girl was just lucky I wasn't feeling my best that day." He answered quickly and sharply so I sighed.

"There's nothing wrong with simply admitting defeat, Gary. Sometimes it makes a better person out of us if we do." I said then stepped away from him towards my door. "You can't let this little bump in the road set you back, you've got talent as a trainer and I know you're going to do great things someday." I stopped at my door and turned around to face him, tilting my hat further back so I could see him properly in the moonlight. "If you ever need to talk, you've got a friend over here who'll always listen."

He blinked in surprise as I gave a little wave then opened my door to step inside. I paused in closing the door, looking up to see him contemplating what I just said before he gave a small huff, flicked his hair then set out home. With a small smile and a touch of red to my cheeks, I closed the door.

Ash is coming home, Ash is coming home, Ash is coming home and there's still SO MUCH TO DO! I need to clean up the lab, decorate the backyard, start cooking up some more delicacies, make sure the Pokémon all look their best, get the tables set up and GARY ISN'T HERE TO HELP ME! Stupid Gary.

Okay Rubes, calm down, calm down, this is all totally possible. Shaking my head I continued to brush through Eevee's fur, making sure it was extra shiny for this afternoon. Pidgeotto was already helping put up some decorations outside with Charizard's assistance and all the other Pokémon had been polished, groomed, fed and were now happily relaxing in the warm sun.

"Okay, next job is to set up tables and pools." I paused for thought then looked out among the Pokémon who were helping me out today. "Hey Machoke, Primape, Graveller, think you could lend me a hand?" I called out and they all lifted their heads.

"Machoke?" Gary's Machoke walked over with his buddies and beamed at me. "Machoke!"

"Could you help me put up the tables please? It'll be a big help and I'm not strong enough to lift them all on my own." I asked and they all nodded their heads.

"Primape!"

"Graveller!" I led them over to the tables I had somehow managed to roll uphill and they three of them took two each and lifted them up as easily as if they were feathers. I slumped instantly, put out by the realisation that I had rolled those tables up a hill for nothing when I could have just sensibly asked for help. Dang it.

Walking back I picked up the tablecloths and smiled as the strong Pokémon put up the tables for me and let me direct them as to where I wanted them situated. "Alright, thanks you guys! You can have a break now." I smiled and waved as they pulled back, going towards their favourite sunny spot to kick back and relax a little.

I flung out the cloths, put down a centre piece to keep them from blowing away in the wind. The balloons were all tied down and arranged around the inside of the lab and the fencing so I started with arranging food, setting Pidgeotto and Charizard and guard duty as Eevee helped to carry things out. "Thanks you guys, I couldn't have done this without you." I said to them with an exhausted sigh. "People should be turning up any minute now to surprise Ash so I want you all on your best behaviour. Charizard, that means no Flamethrower on anyone, okay? No matter how irritating they get." I warned and Charizaard growled but nodded his head.

Dratini lifted her head out of the water of the pool I had blown up and called to me happily, splashing around as I finished another one in case Misty let Goldeen out for a splash around. "Hey there cutie, is that fun?" I asked and before she could answer, Eevee had jumped in too. "Eevee! Your nice shiny coat is all wet now!" I complained but she merely splashed around further, happily spraying Dratini with water and the two of them started to play so I left them to it.

People from the town started to come into the lab and I showed them through, some of them bringing extra food so I helped either put it out on the table or kept it in the kitchen so that we didn't overcrowd the tables.

Mom and dad arrived around three, both of them beaming proudly as they looked around at my handiwork. "Excellent job honey! Did you do it all by yourself?" Mom asked as she snacked on some rice balls.

"Of course not mom, my Pokémon helped me." I answered, lifting a hand and patted Charizard so that he stood a little taller with pride. "I couldn't have got it all done without them." Pidgeotto swooped down and landed on a perch, chirping softly to dad who instantly walked over to her.

"Hey there, I see your wing is all better." He noted, rubbing her head softly as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the attention. "Thank you for looking after our little girl, you've done a grand job Pidgeotto." She ruffled her feathers in agreement and I winked at her as the guests chatted to themselves.

"Hola! We're here!" Voices chirped brightly and I blinked in confusion. I don't recognise those voices, who were they? I walked out back to see two people setting up a food stall and I frowned slightly.

"Hello there, are you here for the party?"

"But of course!" The lady trilled brightly, smiling prettily at me as she jumped forwards. "Only the best for the hero of Pallet Town! We've got all kinds of good grub cooking on our stand and for today only, it's absolutely all free!" Free? Really?

"Well that's really kind of you, thank you so much." I smiled and gave a respectful bow. "I'm sure we'd all love to have you here, so on behalf of everyone, welcome to the party!"

"Glad to be here." She winked then darted back to work. I turned when I heard Eevee calling for me so I looked up to see Ash and the others had arrived.

"Oh! Thanks Eevee!" I smiled then raced forwards to find Ash nervously facing everyone with a drink of juice in his hand, putting on a brave smile as he gave an opening speech.

"Uh I'm very happy to be back home and to everybody who supported me throughout the Pokémon League, I just want to say thank you very much!" He bowed and Pikachu piped in, holding his own drink.

"Pikachu."

"And thanks to Ash for representing us so well." Professor Oak added, standing next to Ash with a drink of his own before Mrs Ketchum also made her own thanks.

"And we all owe Professor Oak a huge thank you for hosting us here today. Now, let's start the party!" Music to my ears, let's eat! Before I could shoot off, however, Professor Oak stepped forwards and lifted his drink.

"First, let's salute Ash for finishing in the top sixteen in the Pokémon League and doing Pallet Town proud! Hip-hip, hooray!" We all chorused together and I lifted the drink I had just poured myself to salute before draining it. Wow, party planning is thirsty work. I made my way over to Misty and Brock as they stood together, observing Ash as he clincked glasses with Pikachu.

Brock instantly dived in for some grub so I did the same, choosing my favourites and chowing down as I could hear my mom talking loudly to a group of her friends, the lot of them almost overpowering all the other guests in the garden. "Pallet Town really knows how to throw a party." Brock said as he chewed on some chicken then once he had swallowed, grabbed another bite. "The food is delicious!"

"Hey guys, we shouldn't be the only ones celebrating, we should let our Pokémon join the party too!" I smiled and lifted my arm as I heard Pidgeotto fly towards me, letting her land on my arm as Ash approached too.

"Good idea, we couldn't have gone to the Pokémon League without them!" Ash said and Brock put down his food, wiping his hands off on his shirt.

"You're right! Geodude, Onix, Zubat, Vulpix, it's time to come out and chow down!" He called and Misty picked up her Pokéballs too.

"Goldeen, Staryu, Psyduck, you're invited too!" She said then spun around elegantly to let them out. "Go!"

"Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Pidgeotto, join the party!" Ash called and one by one the Pokémon appeared, jumping around with excitement as they lifted their noses up to sniff the air. Ash picked up his last Pokéball and began to throw it forwards. "Chairza-!" Instantly the three of us latched onto him, restraining him in place with fear.

"Think about this Ash!" Misty warned as she held onto his leg.

"I don't think that letting Charizard out is such a great idea Ash." Brock agreed as I gripped his head and gave a little shake.

"You want to think this through Einstein?" Ash paused for thought, thinking it through before giving a nervous laugh.

"I'll invite Charizard to the next party." Phew, that was a close one. I pulled over the two paddling pools I had inflated and smiled as Goldeen bounced in as Misty spread her hands and sang out.

"Okay everybody, time to dig in!" They all moved off to find food of their own but I stayed with Dratini and Eevee as they played in the pool, laughing as they tumbled together and got completely soaked through, though I don't think either of them minded.

"Ash must be really proud." Brock noted as I stood up.

"I think he's grown up a lot since being in the Pokémon League." Misty agreed then looked at us both. "Don't you?"

"I don't know ,this is Ash we're talking about." I reasoned then gestured to him with a pointed look as he ran off towards the food stalls. "For example…"

"Let's eat fast so we can eat some more!" He called and I smirked slightly. Bingo, there you go. I began to eat as well, selecting all my favourites and sometimes caugh some moments on camera, like how the Pokémon used Onix's large body to slide down for fun or how Professor Oak smiled as he talked about Pokémon with some of the kids who were here.

"Okay guys, this should be enough to get us started." Ash said as he came back with two bags. Only two? I'm impressed, I'd thought he'd just bring the entire stall over for us.

"Thanks Ash." Brock smiled and we began to spread everything out among the Pokémon and ourselves. I was happy with what I already had on my plate though Charizard took one sniff and instantly dived in for some spicy wasabi noodles, picking up the entire box and chowing it down in one gulp, licking his lips with satisfaction as I giggled.

"Charizard! You should have asked first in case anyone else wanted some." I reprimanded softly then shook my head. "You big softie, what am I going to do with you?" In answer he began to lick my face, making me giggle and drop my food but Psyduck was suddenly there and he gobbled it all up in one. "Hey! Not you too." I said through laughter as Charizard continued to smother me in affection. When Brock and the Pokémon yelled out in pain, however, we all jerked back to see what was going on.

"WARGH! HOT HOT HOT!" Brock was screaming as his mouth blazed from the spicey food. "Water, water, water!"

"Okay Staryu, I think you'd better use your Water Gun attack to cool everybody down!" Misty called and Staryu leaped up into the air easily to hose everyone down with a blast of water which left everyone soaked through but much more relaxed.

"What's the matter with you guys?" Ash asked as he held some shrimp on a cocktail stick. "Aren't you tough enough to handle a little spicy food?" With that he stuffed it into his mouth and chewed it thoroughly, smiling but then his eyes watered sharply into tears before he exploded from the spice. "WAAARGH!" Huh? What's going on?

Reachign for two of the dishes I picked them up and gave them a small sniff. Instantly I retched from the smell. "Ugh, that's some hot mustard and chili sauce." I felt like vomiting at the overpowering taste so I looked up at Charizard. "Looks like you're free to take it all since you can handle the heat." I said to him and he punched the air happily then began to chomp down all he could as fast as he could.

When something flitting across the ground caught my eye I turned around and frowned at the moving bush. "Hey look." Ash said, suddenly focused on the stand as we all turned to look. Where'd that hedge come from and why was it moving?

"Prepare for trouble!" Oh no, not this again. Please, anything but that! I'd even eat all the spicy food in the country rather than listen to this again!

"Make it double." James's voice answered in a more brooding tone than Jessie's.

"Too protect the world from devestation!"

"To unite all people within our nation…" The stall began to unfold, revealing a Meowth balloon through the roof as it quickly inflated then Jessie and James appeared, taking off their disguises to smirk victoriously at us.

"To denoucnce the evils of truth and love."

"To extend our reach to the stars above."

"Jessie."

"James."

"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of-"

"Alright we get it!" I shouted. "Cut the cheese and get to the point already!" Folding my arms I stepped forwards and anchored my feet, glaring at Jessie and James as they stood facing the entire party. They were not going to ruin Ash's special day, not on my watch! Charizard stomped his foot down behind me, growling under his breath to signal he was ready to fight as Pidegotto, Dratini and Eevee all joined my side, ready for my command.

"How dare you interrupt _me_!" Jessie yelled at me as I arched an eyebrow, tilting my head to the side. "No one cuts in on my show and gets away with it you little twerp!"

"Yeah, these curtains don't close for anybody!" Meowth agreed, springing up from behind the stall.

"Well, it's a good thing I did. That show should have closed its curtains years ago." Steam practically blew from Jessie's ears as Ash and the others all raced forwards.

"Argh! Now I definitely won't give you my recipie for Nuclear Noodles." She teased with satisfaction.

"Or my mustard plastered meatballs." Suddenly food was flying forwards with Brock's yell of anguish reaching my ears as Misty and Ash joined in.

"It's not funny to fool around with food!"

"Yeah let's see how you like it!" Ash agreed and I giggled slightly under my breath. Still in the heat of the moment, we can defend the honour of good food and how wasted all that was. The wasabi noodles and mustard meatballs suddenly covered Jessie, James and Meowth, making me burst into laughter so I quickly picked up my camera and snapped a photo.

"That _has_ to be one for the album." I laughed as everyone else giggled too. With the heat on their faces and in their mouths they yelled and writhed around in pain, the burning on their lips beginning to show by their redness before they finally growled at us.

"Let's get out of here." Jessie decided and they leaped into their stall converted balloon. Hang on a moment, Team Rocket never just leave without having accomplished something or taken something. What's the deal? Looking around I tried to spot Pikachu. "Say goodbye Pikachu." Jessie sneered and suddenly the hatch opened to let Pikachu drop down below, dangling on a bit of rope.

"Pika Pika!" He called desperately for Ash who stared in horror.

"Pikachu!" As the balloon began to rise, Ash pointed to the sky. "Squirtle use your Water Gun attack!" Squirtle shot a jet of water up into the air but it couldn't quite reach the balloon as it was already too far up in the air. Suddenly bombs began to drop down on the party and I gasped, looking around.

"Charizard, Pidgeotto, help protect these people!" I called and Charizard instantly dived forwards, using his wings to shield a cluster of people from the bombs as Pidgeotto grabbed one child and lifted her up into the air to avoid being blasted.

"Ash we've got to do something to stop them!" Misty called over the noise and I quickly grabbed Dratini and Eevee from the ground, tucking them in close to keep them safe.

"Don't worry, Pidgeotto! You've gotta get up there and burst that balloon!" Ash directed and Pidgeotto instantly flew up into the air, racing towards the balloon. "Pidgeotto, use your Quick Attack!" Pisgeotto suddenly sped forwards with a burst and flew through the balloon, bursting it on both sides so that it collapsed and began to fall to the ground.

Without warning another balloon burst out, inflating into another Meowth head with the number two on the amulet. Okay, so maybe they planned ahead for this. Not good. Team Rocket's getting smarter, this is terrible news.

Jessie yelled for Arbok to come out and use Poison Sting which shot down Pidgeotto with one hit, making us all gasp as he tumbled down through the air. "Pidgeotto!" Ash yelled and raced forwards, leaping up to catch him before he could crash land. Alright, that's it. I've had enough of this!

"Dratini, use Water Gun on as many bombs as you can hit, Eevee, use Swift!" I called, letting them jump to the ground and they began to shoot down as many of the bombs as they could before they hit the ground. Together Misty and I ran forwards as Ash stood up with a Pokéball in hand.

"Wait a second Ash, I know we've got to stop them but that's not Charizard's Pokéball is it?" Misty asked but Ash turned a furious face on her.

"Yes it is, so what?"

"Pika Pi!" We heard Pikachu yell and my heart began to beat faster with panic, bombs exploding around us.

"Don't worry! Help's on the way Pikachu!" Ash yelled then flung the Pokéball forwards. I clapped a hand to my face, shaking it in desperation. "I choose you, Charizard!" We're doomed. Turning around I called out to my own Charizard as he protected as many as he could from any blasts, using his wings to shield them and was shooting down bombs with Flamethrower attack.

"Charizard, you get up there and burn through the rope, grab Pikachu then send Team Rocket flying!" I called to him. "Let's go!" Charizard instantly flew up into the air, batting away bombs that struck him then spiralled upwards to avoid them as Ash tried to plead with his own Charizard.

"I'm counting on you Charizard, please go and get Pikachu back for me." He begged but Chariard only turned away with a huff. When he spotted the fruit tower, however, his eyes sparkled with joy and he raced over there to grab some grub.

"Ugh…it's no use." Brock groaned, scratching his head so I turned and looked up to my own Charizard, who was struggling to even get close with all the blasts and Arbok's Poison Sting.

"Go on Charizard, I know you can do it!" I called up to him. "Use Wing Attack on those explosives!" Charizard instantly used his wing to swipe those bombs away but then one hit full in the chest, exploding with a loud bang and he was thrown backwards. "No! Charizard!" Turning with a growl I faced Ash's Charizard. "You get up there right now and help out or I swear I'll throw you into the ocean!" I threatened but as Charizard reached out for a banana, the entire table blew up from another bomb.

Charizard's face was a picture of shock which quickly turned to fury as he snarled up at Team Rocket. "Now are you going to go kick their butts?" I asked and in answer, Charizard soared up into the sky. Another rain of bombs flew down but with my Charizard distracting Arbok, Ash's Charizard flew forwards and with a clean sweep of his wing, knocked the bombs back and they struck the balloon, blasting it apart.

"We're blasting off again!" Music to my ears. I looked up with clenched fists as Pikachu dropped through the air but with a graceful dive, Ash's Charizard caught Pikachu on his back then flew back down towards the party.

"Good work Charizard! Looks like you've finally decided to obey me after all!" Ash called up but Charizard blasted a ball of fire down at Ash, turning him to…well. Ash. "Guess not…" Charizard landed on the ground and began to stomp his feet and shoot Flamethrower up into the sky, having a real tantrum but the moment my own Charizard landed, they smashed heads together and were glaring into one another's eyes, staring down at one another so I sighed.

"Ash, please get your Pokémon under control."

"Yeah. Good idea. Charizard return!" Once he was safely back inside, Ash looked at it with disappointment in his eyes but smiled all the same. "Thanks for helping me get Pikachu back. I owe you one." I picked up Ash's Pidgeotto and stroked his head, letting him know I was there before standing.

"We'd better get Pidgeotto inside for treatment, he got hit pretty bad by Poison Sting." I suggested and Ash nodded, taking Pidgeotto from me to hurry him back to Professor Oak whilst I dealt with the clean up.

Once I was assured that everyone and the Pokémon were all unharmed, I began to pick things up off the ground and the Pokémon all helped whilst everyone else left the party, thanking the professor for a such a blast of a party.

Eevee helped me with the litter picking, grabbing things in her mouth then bounded over to the bin bag I was holding to drop it in. "Thanks Eevee." I said then looked up as Pidgeotto and Zubat flew closer, carrying litter in their claws so I opened up the bag and let them drop it inside.

"Hey Ruby! Guess what!" Ash called as he walked over. "We're all going to Valencia Island to get a special Pokéball from a Professor Ivy over there." He told me and I smiled as I stood up straight. "We're all going and wanted to know if you're up for another adventure too!"

"That's great Ash but I should really stay here." I said to him. "Professor Oak has already agreed to let me train as his assistant for a while so he can teach me more about Pokémon." Giving a sad face I looked down at the ground. "I'd really love to go out travelling with you guys again but Professor Oak really needs some help here since there are so many Pokémon to take care of."

"Oh." Ash blinked, his excitement suddenly all gone. "Well, okay then." I bit my lip, looking up to Misty and Brock for help.

"But I won't be here forever, you know. I'll be back on the road in no time. You can't stop these feet when they want to get moving!" I cheered, wriggling my toes. "So maybe I'll catch up to you guys when you're out there, okay?"

"Right! That'll be really great Ruby." Ash agreed. "I can't wait to get going. I hope I see lots of new and really cool Pokémon!"

"I'm sure you will Ash." Professor Oak assured him. "Just remember to bring the G-S ball back to me all in one piece."

"I will professor, don't you worry." Ash assured him then turned down to Pikachu. "Are you ready Pikachu?"

"Pika Pika!" I smiled as I watched the gang, wishing that I could go along too but I had promised to stay and help Professor Oak for a while, and I can hardly go back on a promise, right? Oh well, maybe next time around I'll be able to go with Ash and the others.

I waved them goodbye with all my Pokémon, seeing him off down the road until he was far gone out of sight. Mrs Ketchum sniffed then dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief. "My sweet little boy, all grown up and going out again. I miss him so much when he's gone." I blinked in surprise. I never thought about how our parents feel with us kids being gone from home so often. Maybe I should remember to call my parents more when I'm out next, that way they won't be so worried. Speaking of which, where _are_ my parents? I haven't seen them since the party.

Oh no, did they get blown up?!

"Pidgeotto, I need you to go find my parents, could you do that for me?" Pidgeotto nodded her head then rose up into the sky to go back to the lab and check the grounds for my parents. If I knew them they'd be with all the Pokémon. "And Mrs Ketchum? Don't worry about Ash." I said to her with a confident expression. "Ash is a great Pokémon trainer and has really strong Pokémon with him as well as Misty and Brock, so he'll be perfectly safe no matter where he goes." I told her and she took a deep breath as Mr Mime began to sweep the path leading up to the house.

"I know, I just miss him sometimes." She said to me with a smile. "Well, I shouldn't keep you all. Thankk you for such a wonderful party today Ruby, you did a great job setting it all up." I smiled and gave her a thumbs up.

"There isn't a job you can't do with Pokémon to help." I beamed then turned to the professor. "So professor, we should proabably start on the dinner for the Pokémon, right?"

"Right you are Ruby, and there's all that left over party food to eat. I think we'll be very well supplied for a while yet." He joked before giving a small bow to Mrs Ketchum. "Goodnight Delia, I'll see you soon." He said politely and I smiled before following after him with my Pokémon.

Charizard rose up into the air to fly off but Dratini and Eevee remained on my shoulders, having their own whispered conversation. I paused and turned, looking back longingly down the road. I guess once you've had a taste of something, it's all you'll ever want again. I love travelling and I miss my friends. Hopefully one day soon, I'll be back out on the road with Ash, Misty and Brock. Getting into trouble and saving the day over and over again.

* * *

 _Thanks for reading everyone, there will be sequels, so don't worry this isn't the last you've seen of Ruby Bates!_


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